La Fille
by foofighta
Summary: 12yrs post the last chapter of ReBorn.Aimée,17,is the spiting image of her dad,Gambit and has an attitude to match. She has dealt with her life minus her dad,but when tragedy strikes her mother,Rogue,is he the only one who can help?Chap15 is upFINISHED
1. The Beginning

*if you have not read my other fic Re-Born, may I suggest you read it before this one*  
  
~12 years after the last chapter of ReBorn. Aimée,17, is the spiting image of her pere Gambit and has an attitude to match. She has dealt with her life minus her dad, but when tragedy strikes her mother Rogue, is he the only one who can help?  
  
La Fille  
  
Part. 1  
  
The Beginning of It All  
  
"Now Mr. Beamers, concentrate, feel the power within you.tap into that ability." Storm repeated the last line in a calm tone. "Class pay attention to Mr. Beamers" She hissed, noticing some of them fading out on what was magic to her. A fair-haired boy stood in the center of the room his hands outreached and his eyes clamped shut, a look of determination on his face as beads of sweat rolled from his hairline. An ice sculpture of presumably a large bird sat in front of him, it too began to perspire. An dim orange halo surrounded the ice block, water beginning to drip from its sides, the statue melting before the class.  
  
"That's enough Charles, good job" Storm sighed and turned back to her class. "Now that is true improvement, Apollo is beginning to assess the other aspects of his powers.who's next?" Her serious eyes flashed over the class, each student shivering at her teacher-esque glare. "Miss LeBeau.we haven't heard from you all week"  
  
Aimée looked up from her notebook, smiling slightly at her teacher "Ms. Munroe, I hardly believe that last statement" Storm looked on at her young pupil, waiting for her to finish her statement "I mean after all, its only Tuesday" Aimée's classmates laughed at her remark but Storm was not pleased. Aimee was a beautiful teen; she had long chestnut hair that hung low down her back and pieces were always falling into her stunning face. An oval face shape held high cheekbones and almond shaped black and red eyes, a family gene. Her curvy, cream skinned body was covered with a navy, loose fitting, long sleeve sweatshirt, the neckline hand-cut to make it wider. Her khaki shorts were very short exposing her long milky legs, her feet covered with trendy blue sneakers.  
  
"I doubt your mother would appreciate such a foul mouth" Aimée's grin slightly faltered, but she kept her cocky attitude on high. She hated when her mother was annoyed with her, not that she would let her find out about the tiny rift in class. The tension silenced the class for a minute, each waiting for the next move. But, the silence was sliced by a sudden buzz from atop of the teacher's oak desk. Storms clock had the signal.class was over.  
  
"Well I suppose you will just have to wait until tomorrow" Aimée smiled and collected her text book, her best friend Dupe following close behind.  
  
"Aimée" Storm began, grabbing the girl by the arm "I just want you to realize your potential"  
  
"I do, I just choose not to be so stuffy about it." She snarled back, a trait she picked up from her mother. No one told her what to do. Lets just say Aimée had a severe authority complex. ---------------------------------------  
  
"Mama?" Aimée's voice rang out loud through the halls of her mother's quarters.  
  
"In tha' den!" Rogue yelled back, her southern accent contrasting Aimée's clear articulate voice.  
  
"Hey." Rogue wiped the tears from her eyes and smiled up at her daughter, hardly believing her age. "Where ya'h been?"  
  
She shrugged "Just another one of 'Ro's late night ability assessments" she quipped, tucking a stray hair back behind her ear. Aimée was obviously annoyed and exhausted. "What are you doing?" She asked, oblivious to the state her mother was in before she arrived.  
  
"Juss goin through some of ma'h old stuff that Jean found when she was cleanin" Rogue said, hiding a photograph underneath the couch. Aimée kneeled and kissed her mother's forehead.  
  
"Don't stay up to late, I'm going to bed"  
  
"ain't that supposed t'be ma'h line?" Rogue smiled and hugged her daughter. They had a nice relationship, more like sisters then anything else. After Aimée left Rogue reached for the picture from beneath the couch, it portrayed a handsome man, who bore a striking resemblance to her daughter, standing with Rogue. They were both smiling in the picture, his arm wrapped around her waist in the serene park setting. Rogue sighed as her tears splashed the worn photograph; she shut her eyes and tried to remember the day, frozen in time by the picture. A jolt of pain took Rogue by surprise, her body locked and she gasped for breath a dizzy wave clouding her vision. It lasted for a few seconds but then subsided. She shook it off regarding it as nothing and hastily shoved the picture into the bottom of the box, relaxing on the couch.  
  
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"Oomph" Aimée stifled a groan as she hopped from her second story window, it was two hours later and her mother had long been asleep. Aimée stood her correct 5"9 and straightened her leather skirt, she made sure her black leather boots were zipped all the way up and crept through the grounds of the Mansion. Her figure hidden by the shadows of foliage decorating the lawn. "Dupe" she hissed out loud, and popped up a boy, he was fresh faced with light brown hair and blonde tips, freckles dusting his nose making him look younger. Dupe wore black pants, a black shirt, and a long sweeping black jacket. "Jesus Dupe you look like a reject from the matrix."  
  
"Yea, and you look like one of Christina Aguliera's video extras, where are we going tonight?" Aimée playfully smacked his head.  
  
"Tonight.Dahling.we are meeting up with a friend of mine, we are going all the way to China Town."  
  
"We're gunna get caught! Storm's had her eyes glued to you all week and I know she's going to send that bitch daughter of hers to spy on us."  
  
"I can handle O'Rya, remember she has a little bit of Logan in her to"  
  
"Yea and isn't he just a barrel of sunshine, lets get outta here, where's this friend of yours?" But he didn't receive an answer, Aimée was already halfway to the main get, and Dupe raced to catch up with her.  
  
At the gate, leaning back on her classic mini stood a woman. She was shorter in stature, and had a pale complexion. Her dark blue hair bounced in curls all over her head. She wore dark black sunglasses that matched her tight leather pants, and tight blue top with off the shoulder straps. She smiled as Aimée approached.  
  
"Hey babe!" she shouted.  
  
"Shhh you'll wake up everyone here.this is Abe" She smiled, pointing at her panting friend. The woman lowered her glasses and smiled at the boy.  
  
"Dupe." he said trying to act suave at the girl before him "Call me Dupe, and you are?" Aimée laughed aloud 'way to turn on the charm' she thought, knowing the two would get along.  
  
"Galena." She raised an eyebrow "Aimée, I think Abe here will have to sit in the back" The two girls laughed aloud as they piled into the little car and roared out of the mansion grounds.  
  
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Rogue could not stop coughing, with each breath she took her body racking with pain. She stepped out into the den, tripping over her box of old things, the photograph and a letter falling to the top, she reached for them both her arms going weak. Rogue's body slumped to the floor, one arm rolling under the couch, and her body going limp beneath her. Her head lolled back landing with a smack on the wooden floorboards. An inaudible whisper escaping her ruby lips, before she fell into darkness.  
  
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~haha I'm back, and I'm back with full force!  
  
-Foo 


	2. The Call

La Fille  
  
Part 2.  
  
The Call  
  
Aimée let her body flow with the music. Her curves gyrating and pulsating in tune to the beat of the trendy techno club. Her brown hair flew out at all sides, whipping the man less than two inches from her in the face, her pink top clung to her, beads of sweat lingering on her forehead. She was dancing, in pure heaven. Aimée stepped off the dance floor at the start of a less than exciting song, she moaned in protest as "Praise you" blasted through the speakers for the 5th time that night. She loved the song, but those clubs always overplayed FatBOySLim. Aimée sauntered over to the bar, taking notice of the turning heads watching her ass wiggle off the dance floor. She leaned over to the bartender and whispered in his ear, making him smile as he hurried to get her a round of bourbons. Aimée could drink like the boys, a trait admired and envied by her friends and foes. The burly bartender returned and Aimée playfully stroked his chin. She hoped that maybe he would also not charge her the next time she needed a little pick-me-up. A smile played across the siren's lips as she looked towards her two friends. Galena was touching Abe's shoulder, continuously whispering into his earlobe as his blush, which was visible even through all the smoke and flashing lights, grew to an even deeper shade of red. Aimée was happy to see her two friends getting along and made her way over with the shots in hand.  
  
"Hey" she smiled laying the drinks on the table. Galena winked at her, and Abe turned looking flustered. "sorry did I interrupt?" She smiled and shook her head, leaning back to take her shot fast. Galena in turn lifted and downed her own.  
  
"No, I was just leaving." She winked once again at Aimée "and actually, I think I see quite the stud over there just waiting for an ass like this to dance with." Abe's face dropped, obviously disappointed, he reached for his shot but Aimée grabbed it from him.  
  
"Don't worry sweetheart, she's just playing with ya'" a childlike drawl coming to her voice as she downed his shot of bourbon also.  
  
"Ha.ha" He quipped back sarcastically reaching for his cell which had started to ring. "I'm gunna take this" he yelled as he walked to the more quiet men's room to answer the call. Aimée sat alone at the table, her gaze sweeping the dance floor. Her eyes landed on an attractive boy. Looking out of place, he stood easily over 6 feet. Light blonde curls fluffy and untamed crowned his gorgeous features. His muscles were not well hidden by a light blue shirt and brown jacket. Aimée was instantly interested. A set of golden eyes locked on to her own, and a smile came to Aimée's thick ruby lips. He shyly smiled back, and Aimée realized why he seemed so familiar.  
  
"Fuck" she cursed under her breath looking away quickly. The boy was Aaron Beamers, better known as Apollo, from her class.well known for dating O'Rya Munroe. And sure enough O'Rya appeared next to him, her long caramel arms snaking their way across his broad chest. Aimée ducked, this was very bad. O'Rya Munroe was Storm's daughter, she was uptight, snooty, a brown noser and a pain in the ass for Aimée. Wolverine had artificially inseminated storm, he was her closest friend and she wanted him to be a part of her child. Storm had been very unlucky with men and that's why she decided to forgo the natural process. O'Rya did not know Logan was her father nor would she have cared, she resented the man and her mother's hidden affections for him. However, more importantly than O'Rya's family issues was the fact that she was a rat. And Aimée had no doubt that she would squeal on herself and Abe. Apollo looked over towards Aimée, trying to catch her eye again but she was gone and his heart sank. Apollo had always harbored feelings for the sarcastic beauty, but they were two different breeds and their paths had never crossed.  
  
Aimée looked up for Dupe and luckily he appeared behind her, a stricken look on his face.  
  
"Abe we have to get out of here now, O'Rya and Beamers are here" but Abe stayed frozen, his face a twist of shock. "Abe? What the fuck?! Wake up! We're going to get busted, go find Galena."  
  
"Aimée that was Jean.we have to get back to the mansion.your mother has slipped into a coma" Aimée froze the dance floor spinning around her at a rapid speed. She fell to the ground, feeling the full effects of the alcohol had on her body.  
  
"Aimée?" Abe's voice called out in a faint whisper. Blues and Purples blurred her already hazy vision. Suddenly two strong yet soft hands reached for her, picking her dazed body up off the ground. But Aimée was startled and when she lost control, she also lost control of her powers. Her eyes lit up as she reared back and swung her arm at the man. His body rocked backward, propelled by a blinding beam of light as he hit the wall with a thud.  
  
"Aaron!" O'Rya screamed as Aimée tarred through the startled crowd, Dupe racing to catch up with her.  
  
"Aimée calm down!" Abe grabbed his friend by the arm, her rage wasn't going to accomplish anything.  
  
"Shut up Abe, we need to get back to the mansion" She growled at him. 8 duplicates of Abe suddenly surrounded her.  
  
"Not until your calm" they all said in unison.  
  
"I WILL NOT BE CALM WHEN MY MOTHER IS IN A FUCKING COMA!" She screamed reeling her arm back against him, but it was seized in the slim hand of another. Aimée turned to face her hindrance but was forcefully yet gently gripped on the neck and she faded into darkness. Abe looked up at Galena, stunned, his Duplicates popping until he was the only who remained.  
  
"You make people sleep?" he asked stupidly.  
  
"No" She smiled, handing Aimée's unconscious body to Abe "that's just a little trick I picked up at boarding school." Abe smiled at her, amazed by her beauty and charm as he drug Aimée's body over to the car. They laid her down in the backseat and Galena got behind the wheel.  
  
"She could not drive in that condition" She said starting the gas and re- applying a coat of dark lipstick "Besides I'm the pride of the Grecian track." Her heels pressed hard on the gas as the little car accelerated onto the busy streets of NYC.  
  
-------------------------------------  
  
Jubilee sat next to Rogue in the hospital ward, Rogue's limp hand clenched tightly between hers. Logan sat on the end of the bed his eyes staring off into space as Rogue lay in an endless slumber. Jean returned and touched Logan lightly on the shoulder.  
  
"Jeannie?" he asked, perking up at the sight of his forbidden love. She smiled at him, at his concern for his past love and dearest friend. But she shook her head sadly no at his mental question. Rogue wasn't rousing anytime soon. Jean lightly massaged his shoulders, glancing at Jubilee who had fallen asleep across Rogue's stomach.  
  
"Jean" a stern voice rang out from across the room. She looked up to meet Scott's.glasses, and looked down to see the professor's drawn look. Jean quickly released her grip on Logans shoulders and began to walk with the professor.  
  
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The mini drove past the gate, and Aimée, finally roused, lept out the door. She ran into the mansion finding her way towards the medical lab. She looked through the glass enclosure, at her mother's sleeping form. Aimée couldn't help but feel a pang of guilt. She heard voices and hid behind a statue in the main hall. -------------------------------------  
  
"I have tried Cerebro, to figure out what occurred the sudden coma" The professor rolled silently next to the tall woman beside him.  
  
"What did you find?"  
  
"Patience Jean.is a virtue" His watered eyes looked up into hers "You aren't going to like what I am about to tell you." Jean froze, she could feel a surge in her blood.  
  
"I sense it Jean and I know you feel the Phoenix inside of you.but please suppress it for now, Sinister is a major problem.but we must now focus on one a little closer to home."  
  
Jena looked puzzled "What do you mean?" She asked.  
  
"I mean an old friend has been sucked back into Sinister's web and Rogue is victim of Mr. Sinister's plot to re-surface the man." Jean looked up, her mind instantly knowing who the 'old friend' was  
  
"What does Sinister want with Gambit?"  
  
"Repayment for old debts, in return for his powers, Gambit's abilities have evolved greatly, but these are all things I am no longer familiar with, However you know Monsieur LeBeau, he will shy away from conflict when he knows he can, especially if he is not in control of his powers." Xavier looked up into Jean's eyes knowing he could trust his lifetime pupil with this classified information.  
  
"But Remy loves Rogue and he would do anything for her.even if it means giving in to Sinister's plans"  
  
"But what if.he didn't know, what if he has no idea about what Mr. Sinister's doing?"  
  
"But Professor.if he didn't know then how would Sinister plan on luring Gambit to him with this mysterious power he hold over her?"  
  
"That.Jean.is where I lose it, where I cannot tap any further into the basis of Sinister's mind"  
  
"Did you try Remy's? did you try contacting him?"  
  
"To tell him what.?"  
  
Jean raised her hands to her forehead, her eyes clenching in annoyance. "Scott's calling me"  
  
she spoke aloud, putting a mental block on his messages.  
  
"Besides, Jean, I cannot seem to track him.his surge in power, and enhanced psychic relationships has given him the interesting ability to block me.to block anyone however from entering his mind."  
  
"Do you think he has crossed over? As in to Sinister's side?" "Not Gambit.he wouldn't" They walked (well the professor rolled) in silence for a few moments.  
  
"Professor? What do you plan on telling Aimée?"  
  
Professor Xavier smiled and he looked directly at Aimée's perch from behind the statue.  
  
"I believe she has already heard."  
  
Aimée arose from her perch, confused and enraged at the news she had just heard.  
  
"Aimée calm down" Jean said, probing her mind.  
  
"wha? What? Who?" She stammered kneeling on the base of the marble floor. Her hands clutching her head, she was pulling furiously at her hair and kneading her temples. Memories raced through her mind. A man; tears; smoke; dust; gasoline stench.  
  
"NO!!!" she screamed trying to suppress the memories from her past.  
  
"Papa!! Don't leave!!" She repeated, growing fainter as she completely collapsed in Jean's arms. Jean held her for a moment until Aimée's head snapped up, her eyes on fire. She stood and reached for her bag, yanking her jacket from the coat rack. She ran into the medical lab and kissed her mother on the forehead. "Don't worry," she whispered, "I'll find him." She ran briskly walked back into the hall, stunned faces following her every move.  
  
"Where are you going?" Jean asked as Aimée reached the large door. Aimée slowly turned her head and stated over her shoulder. "I'm going to find the bastard.find out what the hell he did to my mother." The door slammed behind her and Jean turned to the professor.  
  
"Is that safe?" The professor shook his head yes.  
  
"It's about time for a little reunion." He smiled and turned his chair, rolling towards Cerebro Jean running behind.  
  
~it can only get better  
  
-Foo 


	3. Well this is new

~incase you were confused, Charles Beamers from chapter one's name has been changed to Aaron Beamers because of an error in chapter two. Besides I just realized the professors name is Charles to.and that would be weird. ALSO my Logan/Wolverine is more like the movie's Logan/Wolverine because Hugh Jackman is SO hot and I don't really think I want a 5'3 fur ball in my story. So comic Logan is replaced w/ movie Logan in this story, however all other characters are comic book.even though I always did think that Professor X looked a lot like Patrick Stewart. Lol.  
  
La Fille  
  
Part. 3  
  
Well this is new.  
  
Aimée's motorcycle roared. Her chestnut hair flowed wildly behind her. Tears blurred her vision, clouding up the shield attached to the helmet attached to her head. A bitter wind was rushing at her face, her tears seeming to freeze on her skin. A police siren rapidly approached her vehicle.  
  
"Shit" she cursed under her breath.she hated the cops, and she was in no mood to deal with their wandering eyes, and 'I'm king of the world' attitudes. She slowed after about 5 minutes of chasing, her bike screeching to a halt. A man in his mid 40's walked towards her, he had a confident roll to his stroll. He was one of those guys who would cheat on his wife with the nanny. The Cop looked down at Aimée, a cocky grin on his clean- shaven face.  
  
"A little late for a trip to the mall" He bent down to reach her sitting height; she could smell the cheap liquor on his breath "Isn't it? Hun." He laughed at his lame excuse for a joke, and Aimée rolled her eyes under her shades. She had not turned to acknowledge the man, but already knew that he was going to give her trouble. "I'm gunna have to write you up for speeding.that is unless you have a very.very good excuse" he leaned in close so that she could feel his humid breath on her earlobe "or maybe you can do something for me?" The revolting officer reached his hand down and pinched Aimée's ass. She shot up a wince running down her spin. Aimée towered over his 5"7 stature at her standing form, but she stooped lower removing the helmet and freeing her auburn mane.  
  
"And what could I do?" She whispered into his ear, stroking his badge "officer.to make you change your mind?" He laughed, reaching to cup both cheeks.big mistake. Aimée reeled her arm back, her body still tingling with power she had absorbed earlier that night, but she opted for a more subtle approach. A quick shot to the groin. Aimée's hand shot down and gripped it tightly, squeezing until the man's face turned entirely white.  
  
"How its feel chump?" she yelled before lifting him by the sweet spot and throwing him down on the road. She hopped back on her bike and accelerated.driving off into the night.her destination unknown.  
  
"Jean?" Logan knocked on her ajar door, letting himself into her bedroom. Jean was furiously packing a small suitcase, her hair was pulled back into a messy bun and she was half dressed. "Jeannie? What are ye'h doin'?" Logan sat next to her pulling stuff out of her suitcase.  
  
"Logan stop it.I don't care what the professor says, Aimée is in no condition to be chasing her father who for all we know is lying in a pool of his own blood." Jean raised her hand to her head trying to erase the thought of another dear friend's death. "Believe it or not I care about that girl, and I know Rogue would not stand for this. Aimée is searching for things her young mind isn't even capable of dealing with and we have no idea what kind of danger is surrounding Gambit right now." She looked up into Logan's blue eyes her packing finally done. He was blocking her way, but a smile rose to his lips.  
  
"Well I'm coming with ye'h"  
  
"Logan don't think of this as a romantic getaway" She groaned pushing the man aside.  
  
"Hey" he growled, actually raising his voice to his not so secret love, "despite the fact that she's that swamp rat's daughter, I still deeply care about the girl. Ah'm going fer her" But his grin quickly returned, seeing as it could not stay hidden for long in Jean's presence "well.maybe a little for you" Jean smiled in spite of herself and pushed past him. Logan followed her out the door.  
  
She and Logan approached the main door, forgetting about being quiet.  
  
"Jean" Scott called from down the hall, Professor Xavier by his side. It seemed that all Scott even said to her was her name.in a warning tone. Jean and Logan slowly turn, Logan comically putting his hands in the air.  
  
"Drop your arms Logan, I can't have all of my Xmen leaving at once.I gave permission for Aimée to leave, to find her father. She is the only one who should be gone and now my Xmen want to leave also? Storm has already left, Rogue is in a coma, and now you Jean? and Logan? are planning on leaving also? I understand how important the survival of Aimée is to you all but I would not have sent her out there if I thought it was suicide. You all seem to care for Remy so much? What about these past 12 years why now? Aimée will be fine, but you all will not be leaving.you seem to forget our cause"  
  
"Professor with all do respect, I do not agree at all. Aimée is not ready for this!"  
  
"She's 17 Jean, I think she is.the question is, are you? I need you here Jean"  
  
"But Logan can't go alone, we compliment each-other, we need each-other right now"  
  
"I'm sorry Jean but all of you cannot leave, its too dangerous, I need at least one if not both of you to stay." Jean looked down at the ground knowing she was defeated.  
  
"Jean will stay" Scott said, looking proud in his ludicrous decision.  
  
"Hey bub, how 'about ye'h let the lady decide fer herself?" Logan growled, his animal rage pushing to get free.  
  
"Wolverine, like it or not she's my wife" Scott fired back, the two men stood chest to chest.  
  
"Scott, Logan, stop it" Jean groaned, she turned to Logan "I will stay, and you can go.I think your better in this situation."  
  
"But Jeannie."  
  
"No Logan, I will be in your head for guidance.just" She smiled, her eyes looking deep up into his "Just don't do anything stupid."  
  
"Ye'h don't have to worry about me Red" He said, his arm wrapping around her waist.  
  
"I always do," She whispered, taking his mouth in for a passionate kiss. Scott's mouth dropped, and the professor attempted to hide a chuckle. Jean blushed as red as her hair, stepping back from a flabbergasted Wolverine. Logan smiled, taking pleasure in the look on Scott's face and that on Jean's. He reached for his jacket and strode out the door, laughing some more.  
  
"Wolverine wait." The professor called, hands raised to his temples. Logan cocked his head back in, a cigar already firmly place between his teeth. "Where's Storm?"  
  
Aimée sat at a local bar, taking part in her second favorite activity.getting plastered. She did not notice certain sets of eyes watching her every move. She finished her last glass of cognac and dropped a twenty on the bar. Aimée strode outside, the heels of her boots making loud claps against the concrete. She inhaled the scent of the night, and continued on towards her bike, not knowing where the hell she was headed. Her throat burned from the hard liquor settling in it, she moaned rubbing her temples and walked down the block. A vision gripped her suddenly, as a painful flash of light blinded her vision.  
  
~*  
  
She was in a bar, a house of cards.something. Whatever it was Aimée instantly knew it was her kind of place. The thick smell of cigar smoke permeated the entire room. A woman danced on a stage, dressed in flapper gear. It was a cool place, probably a local joint in the middle of a somewhat dry city. She heard distinct drawls in the voices of the patrons and could not decide whether she was in the deep south of the US, or in the middle of a slum in France. Her eyes locked on to a table in the distance, a man was making plenty of people quite angry, and she could see why. His poker chips were stacked high, easily tripling that of all the others combined, and he wore a proud grin on his face with a cigarette clenched between two thin pale lips. His laugh was interesting, when he smiled it almost seemed foreign to him, like he was afraid he never would again. Aimée neared the table, not noticing the ease she had while walking through the crowd. The woman who had gathered behind the winning man cheered every time he drew in more chips, and his opponents faces grew a deeper shade of red. Aimée looked deep into the man's eyes amazed at their likeness to her own. She reached out to call to him, ask him why she was here, because in her heart she knew that he would tell her the answer. But she froze as she realized the passage of her arm, it had gone right through another's head effortlessly, and no one, not even the unlucky victim seemed to notice. She screamed loud but no-on paid her a glance. "Am I a ghost?" She wondered, before falling to the ground another blinding light knocking her senseless.  
  
~*  
  
Aimée's eyes flashed back open wondering what the hell she had just seen.but she was no idiot, and it did not take her long to figure out who the man was.  
  
"Papa" she whispered, a new determination and force willing her to go back to her bike. A destination seared into her brain. She squeezed hard on the clutch, and roared south, "I will find you." she breathed, "No matter what"  
  
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A sinister laugh rolled out from the shadows.  
  
"This will be easier then I thought."  
  
~oh yea...  
  
-Foo 


	4. Gotchya

~any similarities this has to any places of business in Louisiana are simply coincidence. I have never been to New Orleans * NOTE * I HAVE NEVER BEEN TO NEW ORLEANS. So don't kill me . . . ye'h swamp rats. ( ~Henri is blonde. ~Side stories back at the Xmansion have been put into for enjoyment . . . mainly . . .MINE, so naturally I don't really give a fuck if you don't like 'em.  
  
Fauve  
  
Part 4.  
  
Gotchya  
  
Aimée wiped a line of sweat off her brow, reaching for her coat noticing the dark stains under her arms. She lived all her life in Westchester and unlike her southern parents; she had zero tolerance for the heat wave viciously attacking the bayous of Louisiana. She had to get out of traffic, the city girl didn't know the south got that busy, but there she was on her motorcycle . . . sandwiched between two rigs just after local noon. Finally the traffic let up, and a cool breeze whipped up from the speed of her hog. She had been on a mission, and continuous visions had led her straight to Louisiana, she had seen enough episodes of the Real World, New Orleans, to know that this is where her visions took place. And lucky for her, they had stopped as soon as she crossed the state line . . . visions are a pain in the ass. Now that she was finally in N.O. she needed some nice, air- conditioned facilities. Aimée looked up at the nearest hotel and smiled, ready to crash until later.  
  
----------------------------------------3 hours  
  
Her head popped up in a flash, it was still partially light outside, that meant she hadn't slept the whole day away. Aimée had trouble falling asleep on the fancy hotel bed, but as soon as she did, she was out cold. She had ridden all night, straight after her vision, and the trip from New York to New Orleans was not a short one. Aimée glanced at her clock, it was eight, 'jeez does the sun ever set around here?' She rolled out of bed and attempted to pull on a pair of leather pants, but was gripped by a vision and flung onto the bed.  
  
~*  
  
"Belladonna Boudreaux and Remy LeBeau, I know join you as one, and pronounce you as husband and wife!" A withered priest stood atop of a glorious altar, sending the happy couple down the aisle. Aimée stood in the aisle, leaning on one of the church benches. By now she had grown used to the visions and made herself comfortable during them. Remy lifted his beautiful bride, her flowing white train still cascading over the steps. She smiled wide at him as they walked down the aisle, their family and friends cheering and crying. They walked out the door, and Aimée basked in the warm smile on her father's face. The happy couple strutted out to the car, running from the rice being thrown and laughing as they entered the vintage town car. The door shut, and he was gone. Aimée turned around, wondering why she was still there, her father had left what more was there to see? Her vision leaped to two men who had approached each other, getting away from the mass crowd. One wore a ponytail and a mustache, he was an attractive older man; the other was just as handsome, but younger and a blonde. She walked over to them, listening in on the conversation. It was in French.  
  
The blonde started, but he was cut off.  
  
  
  
The blonde man spun on his heel and walked away from his abashed father. Stranger to Aimée, however, than the conversation . . . was the fact that she understood it.  
  
~*  
  
"So apparently I am now bilingual, great, that's just fucking great" Aimée quipped, rubbing her temples and pulling up her leathers. The only name she got out of that one, besides her father's, was Belladonna Boudreaux. Maybe SHE could tell Aimée what she wanted to know.  
  
-----------------------------------------  
  
"Jean" Scott reached out and grabbed her arm.  
  
"Stuff it Scott! I'm with Logan now." She shrugged him off, furious that he would even try to pull that "we need to talk" bullshit on her.  
  
"Oh and Jake? Are you just going to leave him? Leave me? For a fling with that wolf man!"  
  
"Scott, I'm a woman, I have needs too! And I am sick and tired of putting your needs before mine. I am a woman! A woman! Not Mrs. Jean Summers, I am Jean fucking Grey! And all I wanted was a little respect."  
  
"Oh and Logan, the man with no past . . . who very well is half beast! He? He's going to be a better father to our son?"  
  
"Jacob will be just fine!" "My ass he wi-"  
  
"Jean? Scott? We need to have a meeting in the conference room" The professor wheeled in and interrupted them. Jean smiled politely at the professor, looking Scott dead in the eye as she blew back a stray hair.  
  
"Oh and Scott . . . he's a much better lover" She huffed into his ear, sauntering away in a very un-Jean Grey manner. The professor looked half amused as he stared a beet red Scott down.  
  
"It's the phoenix professor, the rise of Mr. Sinister is affecting all of us" Scott furiously rubbed his temples, half trying to convince himself.  
  
----------------------------------------  
  
"She doesn't even think about all of the possible consequences!" O'Rya Munroe shook out her long black hair and readjusted her position atop her boyfriend, Aaron Beamers. "I mean her mother is in a coma, and where does she go? She disappears looking for some loser guy who dumped her mother 20 years ago."  
  
"18" O'Rya looked up from her silver polished nails at her boyfriend, who had decided to speak. "What?"  
  
"18 years, he left her 18 years ago, well 12 if you think about when she was five . . ." He readjusted so that she had to get off of him.  
  
"Well aren't we up on the LeBeau family history?" She said sarcastically, looking into his honey-colored eyes. When he didn't respond, she went on her rant again "Whatever, it doesn't matter, I just personally think that it was a major bitch thing to do."  
  
"I think it was admirable"  
  
O'Rya shot up again, looking deeper into his eyes. "Admirable?"  
  
"Yeah I mean, well, we don't know the whole story, and I'm pretty sure that Aimée wouldn't leave without good reason, especially with her mother in a coma. Maybe this Gambit guy, her father, is really in trouble." O'Rya sat dumbstruck; she was annoyed at Aaron's sudden burst of empathy for Aimée.  
  
"So . . . my mother's gone, did I tell you?"  
  
-----------------------------------------  
  
"Belladonna Boudreaux." Aimée smiled at the bartender, dropping a hundred on the table. "Who, What, and Where?" The bartender smiled, showing yellow teeth and emitting a cigar smoker's breath.  
  
"Ye'h got a lotta' balls comin' in he'h askin' bout people like that, little lady, for another hundred ah'll give ye'h an address, but that's all ye'h gettin'."  
  
"Fuck that" She snarled, pulling the wet bill from his sticky fingers, and heading towards the door. A man grabbed her arm, he seemed vaguely familiar, but with her temper she couldn't place a name with the face. His blonde locks were tied tight in a ponytail, and he had a slight beard of blonde hairs. He had a young face, but Aimée estimated him to be at least 45.  
  
"What do ye'h want wit Belladonna?"  
  
"Watch it old boy', I wouldn't try anything if I were you." He released her, and let her go. Aimée stormed out of the old pub, she did not notice her open pocket. The man laughed and flipped open a red vinyl wallet, but he found no ID right away, only some cash and a few photographs. One of these pictures looked more warn then the others. He pulled it out and sprayed his drink everywhere out of shock, he was looking into the eyes of his brother. "Remy?" he sputtered as he closed up the wallet and ran for the door, his cell dialing his father's number automatically.  
  
-----------------------------------------  
  
It was getting late, and none of the pubs would tell her anything. She began to have a feeling that Belladonna, and possibly her father, were into some very illegal businesses. At the 5th pub a man grabbed her arm. "I kno' that name sounds damn familiar, belongs te'h one a'h dem guilds, thieves guild . . . ? Yes, dat's it, t'ieves guild." Aimée recoiled from the slimy man, but paid him her thanks as she walked to the door. What the hell was the Thieves guild? She felt her body stiffen once more, and feared another vision, but instead she got a force. A feeling that seemingly took over her entire body. Aimée's eyes locked on to her bike, and she hopped out, willed in the right direction.  
  
-----------------------------------------  
  
"I found him, he's just outside of Seattle, staying with a friend. He is racing around though, and it is hard to keep a lock on. His Psionic shield is more powerful than I ever imagined, I fear that he is in grave danger. I sense pain, and fear. Jean?" Jean looked over to the professor.  
  
"I have a lock on her professor, she's in Louisiana, paying a visit to some of the LeBeau clan."  
  
"So she's gallivanting with thieves? Professor I must suggest intervening, she is way off target and this could mean Rogues life." "No Scott, she needs to do this on her own, or we very well may loose contact all together."  
  
"What about Sinister?" Logan asked from his corner of the room.  
  
"Well-"  
  
"What about Storm?" Night crawler suddenly appeared out of the shadows, looking worried.  
  
"She's . . ."  
  
------------------------------------  
  
Aimée landed in the 3rd floor bedroom a little louder then she would have liked, but at least she was finally inside the gorgeous mansion. She had gotten there but the next problem was getting inside. The dogs, the gates, this place was like the white house. When she finally opted for climbing the stonewall, she did not expect it to be so difficult, but eventually made it upstairs. Aimée dusted off her pants, taking off her shades, so she could see in the dim lighting. The lights suddenly flashed on, causing Aimée to flinch slightly. She heard the 'click' of a gun preparing to fire, behind her. A heavily accented voice rang out.  
  
"Gotchya." She did as she was told, her fiery eyes matching that, of . . . Jean Luc LeBeau's.  
  
--------------------------------------  
  
Ororro Munroe huffed in disdain from her perch outside the LeBeau mansion. Aimée did not have the skills of her father. Storm set down her binoculars, knowing Jean Luc would not kill the girl. She couldn't help but the first time she met the man, but thoughts like that always brought her back to Remy . . . and his smile.  
  
~Booyah Baby!  
  
-Foo 


	5. Love, Lust and Fauve

~the Belladonna/Remy wedding thing was a 'past' vision, it isn't a prediction of the future ~ Corrections for the confused.  
  
*"Gotchya." She slowly turned to me the gun-totting man, her fiery eyes matching that, of . . . Jean Luc LeBeau's.*  
  
* She couldn't help but remember the first time she met the man, but thoughts like that always brought her back to Remy . . . and his smile.*  
  
and sorry in case of the confusion, when Aimée looked at Jean Luc for the first time it was dark, she put her glasses back on after they flashed the light. He has not seen her eyes.  
  
~did u know that I had 9 reviews for this 4 chapter, unfinished story, and only 11 for my 2 weeks finished 9 chapter fic, Reborn? Good job with the reviews guys! (  
  
~ pieces in are in French.  
  
~oh yeah and I know NOTHING about football, so forgive me, please (  
  
~ Fauve= Aimée, Aimée=Fauve  
  
La Fille  
  
Part 5.  
  
Love, Lust and Fauve  
  
"Holy Shit!" Jean Luc hopped back, his eyes glued to Aimée's. "Henri, regarde ses yeux!!" *He yelled trying to hold the gun steady.  
  
"Qu'est-ce que tu crois que je regarde? Jésus, penses-tu qu'elle a quelque chose à voir avec ce qui s'est passé? " **  
  
" Comment veux-tu que je le saches? Elle est entrée ici par effraction, elle pourrait être un espion pour les Assassins, peut-être même un Assassin elle-même. " ***  
  
" Qu'elle soit un Assassin ne serait pas si grave, de toute façon elle posait des questions sur Belladonna tout à l'heure... C'est la fille du bar, celle qui a une photo de Remy." ****  
  
" Dans ce cas je ne la tuerai pas, je veux avoir le plus d'information possible sur Remy et ce qu'il fait" *****  
  
" Crois-tu qu'elle sache quelque chose? " ****** Aimée took this opportunity to fool the master thief. She swung up her leg, her red heel knocking the gun from Jean Luc's hand. She reached down and sprang back up, the gun firmly pointed between Jean Luc's eyes.  
  
" Moi, je ne sais rien, mais je crois que vous, oui " ******* Both the men stared at her in complete awe, partially because she had a gun to the master theif's head and partially because they knew she understood everything they said.  
  
" Où est mon père? " ******** Silence still. Aimée pressed the nozzle firmly into Jean Luc's forehead, " J'ai dit... Où est Remy LeBeau?" *********  
  
~translated  
  
* Henri she has those eyes!! ** What do you think I'm staring at? Jesus do you think she has anything to do with what happened? *** How am I supposed to know, but she broke in here, could just be a spy from the Assassins, or better yet an assassin. **** One of theirs wouldn't be this bad, besides she as asking questions about Belladonna earlier. She's the one from the bar, the one with Remy's picture. ***** Then I won't kill her, I will take any information I can get about Remy and his wherabouts. ****** Do you think she knows anything? ******* I don't know anything, but I have a feeling you two do. ******** Where is my father? ********* I said . . . where is Remy LeBeau?!"  
  
----------------------------------------  
  
"Jus' that last day, we aven't 'eard from 'em since" Jean Luc hung his head low, he was seated on the couch across from his granddaughter.  
  
"He just disappeared" She said aloud, it was more like a statement than a question. She was happy to be there, to be with another side of her family, but couldn't help but be upset that she was at another dead end. "Why are ye'h searchin' for 'em now? A'h mean, he left ye'h, twice, an' e'h don' mean te'h condemn me'h one son, but it is curious." "My mother is dying, and it has something to do with him." "Remy would nev'ah kill anyone, chere" "I know but I think its beyond his control, some very bad people are after him. I want to save my mother, and I can't help wanting to save him to . . . I still love him you know"  
  
"Personne ne tueront mon fils." (No one will kill my son) Jean Luc stated, looking solemn. Henri suddenly jumped in. "I t'ink ye'h ought te'h go te'h bed" He said, nodding to Aimée, "Anne 'll take ye'h te'h de guest rooms."  
  
Aimée nodded and left, stepping in to the hall to find the girl. "Papa ye'h shu't get ye'h self so worked up in dis health" Henri rubbed his aging fathers arm and kissed his forehead. "I know, I'm jus' tre worried, I fear de worst Henri . . . goodnight" The withered thief rose and walked out of the room, leaving Henri to collapse on to couch.  
  
----------------------------------------  
  
"Comment tapples tu?" (What's your name?) the teen girl asked. Her sun honey colored hair much lighter than that of Aimée's.  
  
"Fauve" "I'm Anne, I'm 14 . . . guess ye'h met mon pere, my mother is already asleep." She smiled at Aimée, a cousin she had waited so anxiously for, the only other family member near her age being her smaller sister. "Why aren't you?" Aimée asked, liking the preteen. "Well she's pregnant, besides its not dat late." "Oh" They moved down the hall slowly, Aimée took in the many portraits decorating the high walls. "Dis be ye'h room, if ye'h need any' ting jus' ask me'h." "Merci" Aimée turned to enter the room, but stopped, noticing Anne staying put in the hall. "I'm, I'm sorry 'bout ye'h dad, I miss em too" She muttered and walked down the hall in a fluster, obviously biting back tears. Aimée reached for her, but she was already gone.  
  
----------------------------------------  
  
Aaron pulled off his socks and hopped into bed. His roommate's snoring paused for a moment but then went back onto full blast. He sighed loudly and put on his headphones, not noticing someone had switched his Pearl Jam CD with Selena.  
  
~*Late at night when all the world is sleeping I stay up and think of you*~  
  
Aimée was standing in the middle of a room; no it wasn't a room, to big to be a room, besides there were no walls, no ceilings, just a rainbow of colors and lights. A dull haze enveloped the area, a mist clouding her vision and her senses. It smelled sweet there, like candles and fruit, and in the distance Aimée could hear a tinkling female voice. "Hello?" she called aloud, glancing around; she wondered where she was exactly.  
  
~*And I wish on a star, that somewhere you are  
  
thinking of me too*~  
  
"Hello?" He yelled back, Aaron was sure that wasn't just an echo of his own voice. He sneezed, the weird scent messing with his allergies (yes ladies, cute boys do sneeze!). He wished the singing woman in the back round would shut up, so he could listen for the voice again. Aaron stumbled forward through the clouds and fog. "Hello?" he called again.  
  
~*Because I'm dreaming of you tonight,*~  
  
Aimée walked through the fog, her eyes growing sleepy as she trudged on. Then she saw it, or rather him. A tall blonde boy, stumbling around much like herself. She walked towards him, reached out and latched a hand on his shoulder. A feeling inside her building, "Hey" she said a tad breathlessly.  
  
~*till tomorrow, I'll be holding you tight*~  
  
Aaron turned, facing her, facing the girl he dreamt about every night. This time however, was different, she was actually there. He smiled down at her, honey eyes tinkling in the sparkling lights.  
  
~*And theirs nowhere in the world I'd rather be*~  
  
She couldn't control it any longer. Aimée reached up and locked her arms around his neck; her legs swung up and latched themselves around his hips. She kissed him, and Aaron kissed back, his passion exploding, as he finally tasted the forbidden fruit. To bad it was only a dream.  
  
~*then here in my room, dreaming about  
  
you and me*~  
  
Aimée shot up from bed in a sweat, she popped open her Discman and threw the Selena CD across the room. She laid back down, feeling her body tingle with excitement. "Well" she said aloud "That's what you get for borrowing music from a 14 yr old."  
  
----------------------------------------  
  
"Mornin' " Aimée woke to the familiar smell of bacon, and a pregnant blonde woman cooking atop of a stove. "Ye'h must be Remy's girl, now aren't you pretty!" Aimée smiled and gave a light chuckle in response; she was definitely going to like this woman. "I'm Mercy."  
  
"Fauve" She reached out and shook the woman's hand "Need a hand?"  
  
"Oui." Aimée got out the plates and set the table, feeling oddly like she was in the X-mansion. She laughed in her head thinking about breakfast there. Dupe multiplying himself so he could have as many helpings to pancakes and pop tarts as he wanted, Logan entertaining Jake by slicing his waffles with his claws, someone receiving one of Jean's world famous massages. Aimée sighed, and noticed a commotion in the hall. She looked out, glancing around for the commotion. Several boys were outside playing football.  
  
"Le football du American, I would play, but" She pointed to her stomach and smiled, nudging Aimée to the door, "Breakfast will be another half an hour. Dere be sweats in Anne's room, she's almost ye'h height" Aimée smiled devilishly and cocked an eyebrow before running up the steps to Anne's bedroom.  
  
----------------------------------------  
  
"Mrs. Summers"  
  
"Try again"  
  
"Ms. Grey"  
  
"Again"  
  
"Mz. Grey?"  
  
"Aaron I think you know me well enough to call me Jean." Jean turned from her desk in the lab and took off her glasses. "What's the matter?" Apollo walked slowly to her desk and sat down in a chair next to it.  
  
"My dreams, Ms. Grey I mean, Jean, I have a problem."  
  
"Jeans are an expulsion of the minds deepest thoughts, fears, and desires."  
  
"I keep dreaming about this girl."  
  
"What happens with the girl?"  
  
"Well nothing usually, usually I just kind of stand in the background, but last night no one else was around. It was just her and I, and we kissed."  
  
"Do you have feelings for her?"  
  
"Yes, I mean no. No of course not, I'm with. . . O'Rya."  
  
"Aaron, I'm going to ask you again, do you have feelings for her?"  
  
"Yes" "Good le-"  
  
"I mean I'm sick of it! I'm so sick of O'Rya's bull, I'm so sick of popular girls, sick of being this guy. The good guy, and this girl when I see her, she makes me feel alive and I just cant control myself. I constantly feel guilty when I'm with O'Rya, because I know I'm dreaming of someone else, someone I can't have."  
  
"Aaron."  
  
"Don't bother, I know what your going to say" He cast his eyes down on the ground, getting up to leave. Jean stopped him, she stood in front of him, both hands firmly clasped to his shoulders.  
  
"No, No you don't" Apollo looked up hopefully into her deep green eyes "Aaron, if I were you I wouldn't fight it, I would fight for it, fight for her. Your in love, kiddo, now you just have to go bring it home."  
  
Aaron smiled at his teacher, his mentor, his friend and hurried out the door, flashing his pearly whites as he left.  
  
----------------------------------------  
  
"Rouge vingt-deux, Rouge vingt-deux, hausse!" Aimée ran for the running back, he did not expect such force from a girl. She leapt on him and nailed him to the ground, causing a fumble for his team. She laughed as he lay in pain.  
  
"Well, ye'h sure do pack a punch" A handsome dark haired boy stood over her, lending his tackled friend a hand. She smiled up at him, taking in his rugged features. He turned and snickered to his friend "pour une fille." (for a girl). Aimée growled, and she was on the boy in to seconds. She had him pinned to the ground, her panting body startling his sweaty one. He stared up into her eyes mesmerized by her beauty, and slightly frightened of her eyes. "Cool contacts" He said smoothly, a thick Cajun accent rippling his husky voice.  
  
"Merci Beaucoup" He smiled broad at her. His hair was longish and a very dark brown, nearly black, his eyes a deep and mysterious shade of black. A very deep violet, if you looked close. His bangs hung in his attractive face. He had nice lips and a crooked nose to give him character. Just a slight bit of fuzz on the end of his chin, and in the mustache area.  
  
"Didier" he reached out and accepted her hand as she helped him into a standing position.  
  
"Fauve"  
  
"Do you stay true to your name?" (Fauve means wild & uninhibited en français)  
  
"Sometimes"  
  
"Then we should have a lot of fun"  
  
Aimée smiled seductively at the boy, deciding it best to keep him guessing. She sauntered back to the mansion; ball tucked under her arm, and turned over her shoulder for one last comment.  
  
"Believe me, we will"  
  
~meeow!  
  
-Foo 


	6. Some things never change

~Okay people, let your censors pop up, time for some smut . . .  
  
haha don't worry its not that bad (  
  
~Abe is Dupe, Aimée's friend . . . remember from chapters 1 & 2? ~as for Belle's death scene, don't sue me if I fudged the words a little! I couldn't find that issue of mine!  
  
Aimée threw her head back from Didier's, gasping for breath and licking her lips appreciatively. She smiled seductively and laid her head down on his heaving chest. It felt great to kiss again. Aimée had forgotten how much fun making out was, and Didier was a pro. It had been a week. Life with the Thieves Guild was enjoyable for Aimée, and her lack of visions let her take her mind off of the troubles with her family. Didier kissed the top of her head and she leaned up to stroke his hair affectionately. He was another thing to keep her mind of her troubles. They had been dating for the week and Aimée couldn't help but get hot and heavy with the attractive boy. She was experienced no doubt, but didn't come off as a slut, something the boys really went for. Aimée doubted anyone but the family knew she was a mutant, and she didn't bother to tell Didier. She could feel his chest steady, and took it as an opportunity to switch positions. Aimée straddled his hips and sat upright, looking deep into his eyes. Didier smiled, leaning back on the bed, wondering if today he would get farther then the occasional grope. Aimée reached for the front clasp on her bra, her shirt had been discarded already. Delighting in the pleading expression on his face she tugged at the material. The clasp came undone with a snap. She held the bra there over her breasts for a moment, increasing the heat of the moment. Didier reached for her hips, the buttons of her pants already undone revealing red cotton knickers. He pulled them forward onto the crotch of his pants, the material stretching ridiculously from the large bulge trying to get free. Aimée held tight, prepared to let go and "consummate" she and Didier's relationship, when she heard a sound behind her. Didier did not notice, he was to wrapped up in her half nude form. Aimée re-clasped the bra, bringing a finger to her full lips and sliding off his body. Didier moaned in protest, but did as he was told. Aimée crouched on the ground, waiting for another noise, her body hidden beside the tall 4-poster.  
  
"Etienne what are ye'h doin' in he'h?" Didier yelled. Aimée sat back up, pulling her shirt back on with a dangerous look on her face. Etienne, Didier's rather chunky friend, laughed mischievously, noting the disheveled looks of his comrades.  
  
"Jus' came up he'h te'h relieve me'h self, aft'eh seein' that fox that jus' walked in he'h" He responded. Aimée looked confused up at Didier who was already refastening his belt and pulling his shirt on. She did the same and went to the door, wondering who Etienne could have been talking about.  
  
----------------------------------------  
  
"Ry?" Abe came up behind her "Need a hand?." He asked, noting the savage way she was beating up the Coke machine. O'Rya glanced behind her, noticing Dupe's sudden appearance.  
  
"Abraham, just leave me alone right now." But he did not heed her word, and instead raised one of his athletic arms to the machine. One thud on the side and several cherry-coke's tumbled out. She reached for one and exited the room.  
  
"Hey wait!" he yelled, catching up to the caramel beauty, and trying to brake her with his arm. "Are you all right?"  
  
"Yes I'm alright! I'm just fucking fine" She yelled reeling back on him, splashing her coke all over his face "Abraham, regardless of my dating status, I am still the most popular girl in this institute. I haven't spoken to you since the seventh grade and I don't plan on catching up with geeks who probably still have a collection of pokemon cards."  
  
Abe stepped back as if been slapped and watched her walk down the hall, black hair swinging wildly. His heart bled for her. Not understanding the confrontation, but wishing he could comfort the teen queen, Dupe sighed loudly. He reached to his soda soaked tee shirt and turned as his girlfriend entered the room.  
  
"Abe?" He smiled at her presence. Galena shook her head, showing off jingling new earrings, dark purple whisps of hair flying in front of her face. Her full dark lips formed into a seductive smile as she edged closer to her much taller beau. "Hiya doll face"  
  
"Hey, do you know what's up with O'Rya?" He asked quickly, shaking his shirt to dry it. Galena's face slightly faltered and she drew closer.  
  
"'Pollo dumped her" She shook out her hair and raised her eyebrow, "But why fret about her, when we have better things to do" Galena licked the side of his soda-sticky face, running the full length of her tongue across his profile. Abe's eyes fluttered in ecstasy, though his girlfriend's kinky ways did frighten him some. "mmm, cherry, my favorite" She smiled tugging on his hand to lead him out of the room. Abe happily obliged, though his thoughts still lingered on O'Rya.  
  
-----------------------------------------  
  
Ororo Munroe lay back on her bed. She was sick of Louisiana, and longed for the atmosphere of Xavier's mansion in upstate New York. Her thoughts briefly lingered on her daughter. Storm wasn't exactly the best mother. She supposed it was because of her unhappiness in herself. She had used the baby in an attempt to be happy, to finally have someone who loved her unconditionally. Ororo's love life was notoriously unsatisfying. Every man she ever loved had truly fell for another, but that was why she was here. To find the man she loved. To prove her love to him by watching over his daughter, and in the end rescuing him herself. She reached for her photograph of Gambit, taken in his and her youth, delicately ran her finger's along the frame. But was it all worth it? Given he couldn't be her true love. Given he in turn was not in love with her, he was in love with Rogue . . . no matter how poorly he treated her. Storm sighed aloud, maybe it was time to give up on Gambit, give up on her imaginary wedding and children with him. Children, shit she already had a child. A beautiful teenage girl. Rogue could have him, Ororo was sick of being pathetic. She was going home, to spend time with her daughter . . . and just maybe . . . O'Rya's father ( ? Some things never change.  
  
----------------------------------------  
  
Rogue lye in her bed. No one was around. Her steady breathing in tune with the heart monitor by the bed. Rogue's eyes fluttered open and then closed, she was slowly regaining her consciousness, the power over her was lessening. Almost as if she was no longer needed. Nevertheless Rogue was still in great pain. She glanced around, wondering why she was alone, wondering if it was a dream. She knew something was wrong, why wasn't anyone around? Why wasn't there a doctor by her bed? A friend holding her hand? Where was her daughter? Rogue's eyes flashed open and her heartbeat skyrocketed. Where was her daughter?!?  
  
----------------------------------------  
  
Aimée peered down the steps, her eyes sweeping the room for this "mystery woman" who might actually be a threat to her. Henri looked angry. He was speaking to someone, but they were blocked by a rather obnoxious plant. "Dammit" She hissed, creeping a little farther down the grand staircase.  
  
"What te'h hell are ye'h doin' he'h? Me'h papa s'ill ye'h know dat" A familiar voice rang out, and a less known one followed.  
  
"Shut it Henri"  
  
"Some t'ings neve'h change e'h Belle? Ye'h still a raving bitch. No member of the assassins guild be welcome in me'h home! Jus' here to stir up trouble Belladonna!"  
  
Belladonna? That name sounded familiar. Aimée reared back in pain, another vision gripping her.  
  
~*  
  
Belladonna coughed, her last breaths fading out as she lye in Gambit's arms.  
  
"Remy . . . if ye' had a choice"  
  
Her blonde hair was matted and dirt covered, and her eyes fluttered under the harsh lights.  
  
"Would e'h have chosen you?" He whispered holding her close. Belladonna let out a sigh. "None otha' chere." Remy lowered his head in pain as the final shiver ran through his wife's body.  
  
"Vengeance? Mes amis you don' know the meanin' of t'ose words."  
  
~*  
  
Belladonna! Of course! Her father's estranged first wife . . . not that he and Rogue ever actually married. Aimée lost control during her vision and awoke to find herself lying flat on the floor at the foot of the stairs. Henri and Belladonna rounded the corner and stared at her. Aimée lye there, brown hair spread out wildly, eyes clamped shut and a hand rubbing her forehead. Henri grimaced, and Belladonna opened her mouth to speak . . . but shut it quickly. Aimée's eyes flashed open, revealing her obvious relations. Belladonna stepped back, her pointed heels making a loud sound on the hardwood floors, but then smiled devilishly.  
  
"So? dis is de child a'h neve'h had."  
  
----------------------------------------  
  
"Professor did you try?"  
  
"Yes I tried, I have been trying for the past hour. No use, he's stopped moving" Xavier rubbed his temples furiously, wondering when the nightmare that was Remy LeBeau would end. He pushed the negative thoughts out of his head, focusing on Jean who was sitting across from him.  
  
"Do you think he put up the mental block?" She asked, crossing her legs and chewing on her pen cap nervously.  
  
"No it's not a block, its just . . . his mind, it's completely blank. I don't know what to think."  
  
"Perhaps, professor . . . He's been caught? We're to late? And Sinister is drawing every ounce of his mutant abilities from him right this second . . ."  
  
"Jean, I have a feel that, he may not only want Gambit. I have a theory that Sinister wants Aimée too."  
  
"But She is no where near developed enough." "Sinister predicts the children of two Xmen, preferably one of Gambit's, will be the strongest mutants. Aimée's ability is sometimes triggered by extreme emotional turmoil. Seeing her estranged father in this blank state may charge her powers so, that he will be able to draw the most out of her also." Jean stared abashed at the professor. Her head falling down.  
  
"Or maybe" A husky voice called from the doorway "He's just usin' Gumbo to draw her in."  
  
----------------------------------------  
  
The prisoner stared down at the floor, his hands bound tightly behind him. He was half conscious, floating naked in some type of lukewarm goo. Needles were shoved into his veins, and a hospital tube down his throat. His eyelids were heavy, further impairing his already blurry vision. He could make out a cage, no a room a glass room where he was situated. The prisoner tried to call out, but was muffled by the giant tube. His red eyes bore into the cuff that bound his feet, but nothing happened, no explosion, just a headache from straining his eyes. A sinister laugh rang out above him and a chalk white man loomed into view. "What 'ave you done te'h me!?!" the prisoner yelled at the figure, gagging on the plastic own his throat.  
  
"Just sleep now little thief, we shall talk in the morning." The ominous voice replied, pulling down a lever of sorts. The liquid increased and a purple substance filtered in to his glass prison, causing the prisoner to cough once more and pass out. Falling into a controlled sleep as yet another needle made its way into his body.  
  
~Think matrix . . . but he still has his hair, well think matrix combined with Xtreme Xmen issue "Paradise Lost!" where Gambit and Rogue are in weird prisons with that 'The Sydney Triad' guy.  
  
-Foo 


	7. Getting Too Comfortable

*********  
  
La Fille  
  
Part 7  
  
Getting to Comfortable  
  
**********  
  
Remy shook his head violently, pushing that memory out of his head. He was free now, free from Sinister, free from his cage. For 3 months he had been having those dreams. Nightmares really, of when he was trapped by Sinister a few years ago. Remy had escaped Sinister's torture chamber after 1 long year of being kept prisoner. Once again Gambit shook his head, trying to forget images still seared into his brain. He had no idea why the nightmare's started again. He had been successfully hiding for the past 3 years, no one knew where he was. He did not wish for anyone to find him. Remy was different, changed, his memories and thoughts were scattered, and at times he forgot where he was. His charm had all but diminished and a smile was completely foreign. He had continued to exercise, training his body for any attack, but his eating habits had dwindled and his figure was starved. Sitting in the middle of a parking lot, Remy was comfortable. Remy took a long drag on his cigarette, his shifty red eyes darting around the vacant lot . . . he wasn't alone.  
  
----------------------------------------  
  
"or should I say . . . de SECOND child I neve'h 'ad wit de bastard." Belle sneered, a smug smile spreading across her bold features. Aimée's head snapped up.  
  
"ppardon?" she stated, stuttering in reaction to the news. "Stuttering is very unattractive on a young lady such as yourself"  
  
Henri, who had until then stood slack jawed by the wall, piped up "wait your son is Remy's?!" He asked, referring to the broad shouldered blonde boy he had seen doing Belladonna's dirty work.  
  
"well if ye'h must know, m'sieu Busy body, oui, a son, mon fils be Rem's, but I don't see de importance . . . I am here te'h see dis child of his" Belladonna hissed, she had never been friends with her estranged brother in law. "I have a brother?"  
  
"Yes, good t'ing he doesn't a've dose mad eyes of ye'rs, devilish t'ings if ye'h ask me," She winced slightly, but kept her steel blues glued to Aimée.  
  
"and no-one did." Henry sneered back at her, he remembered the torture his young brother endured because of his eyes.  
  
Belle snorted at Henri's display of affection and continued on. "as for Hugues, de bastard ran off 'bout a month ago, went mad right before he left, I reckon he went te'h find son pere. My baby, last thing I had a' rem's." He eyes grew glassy and she stared at the ground, but when Aimée shifted positions she reared on the teen. "What's it to you?!" She spat, nostril's flaring and her hair becoming disheveled. "Just curious as to how many children my father has abandoned over the years.  
  
"Remy was always careful! 'was my fault I got pregnant, a'h fergot to take birth control. I never told him about our son. . . Even normal people make mistakes, its not just for trailer trash. I can see dat Mississippi prude runnin' in your veins." "Hey watch it, bitch." Aimée growled, she absolutely detested this woman.  
  
Henri sensed he tension "Belle what are ye'h really doin' here?"  
  
"came here te'h see de infamous child of Gambit and his filly up north. Found out she's down he'h and I want te'h know why, I need te'h find de man, hang him by de neck for what he's done te'h me'h son! I know it was his doin' dat sent Hugues away!  
  
"Belle no-one has any idea where Remy be, and ye'h are obviously not welcome he'h so please . . . shove off"  
  
Belle shook her head defiantly, but obliged, "fine! But you" She pointed at Aimée "give ye'h mother's IV bag a tug for me eh'?"  
  
---------------------------------------  
  
Aaron laughed at a joke cracked by the weather forecaster. True it was a bad joke, but that wasn't what he was smiling about. He carefully packed essentials into a small army duffel. Aaron was going to find Aimée. The different meeting scenarios endlessly playing in his head were all very romantic, and they all ended in the same way . . . the two lover's kissing and then fade out. He was getting very comfortable with the idea of them being an actual couple in love. But Aaron wasn't an idiot, he knew that most likely their meeting wasn't going to be romantic, if he found her at all. He knew Aimée was out there, looking for her father for an important reason, even if he didn't know what it was. The last thing he wanted to do was get in the way. He was nervous! Violent butterflies appeared in his stomach every time he thought of her, and the risk he was gambling on. Aaron sat down on the bed and stared at the class photo hanging on his wall. Would she want to see him? Would she even notice? Or care? But he quickly shook off those thoughts and resumed his steady packing. She did care about him . . . she had too.  
  
------------------------------------  
  
Henri attempted to restrain her, but Aimée was on the woman in a second, and had her firmly pinned to the ground. "what the hell do you know about my mother!?" Belle smiled from her uncomfortable position beneath the woman "Well its's true, non? why else would ye'h be down here? No child of gambit's is born 'thout pride, and I doubt ye'd go looking for 'em seein as how he left you and all." Aimée stared dumfounded at the woman, and as if to read her mind Belladonna continued "yes love, news gets around and I've been following your pere's trails for quite a while now. He dropped off de planet, and I wanna where he is."  
  
"I don't know where he is!" "Then why the hell aren't ye'h lookin for him? You want to save yer mum don't  
  
ye'h! Instead you're here! Fuckin' a deadbeat in de devil's home!"  
  
"Of course I want to save her! Why's his life and mine any consequence to you?!"  
  
Belladonna faced softened and she actually smiled, "the heart never forgets true love, besides he is involved in my sons disappearance."  
  
"He loves his children"  
  
"oh and that's why he left you, hein? listen babe, a piece of advice…Rem's a heart breaker I wouldn't count on him too much."  
  
Aimée glared at her, as Henri pulled her to her feet.  
  
"And by the way… I wouldn't get too comfortable. These people are thieves; they're not to be trusted." "And you are?" "Whether you like it or not, you've got a little bit o' Rem' in you too, and that's good advice he once gave me…don't get to comfortable, and I think you are."  
  
------------------------------------  
  
"Wwho's there?" He called, trying to mask the sheer terror in his voice. Remy stamped out the cigarette and called again. "I said who's there?" He was incorrect to call it a vacant lot. Ritzy car's lined the tiers of the parking space; he was sitting on top of one. The Valet's always packed up the roof first, so no one would be up their for hours, no one that is, except the intruder that was giving Gambit so much trouble. Maybe he was hearing things. A quick scratch on the gravel sounded from twenty feet away. Maybe he wasn't. Gambit's hands began to glow; the one good thing about being trapped with sinister was that when he escaped, his powers were stronger then ever. A racking cough came from deep within his body, putting the thief off guard for a moment. A gun pressed firmly into his temple. The man holding it sneered at Gambit, cocking his blonde head to the side and grinning. "Bonjour, mon ami."  
  
-------------------------------------  
  
"Jean a'h don' care about Mist'uh Sinister! All ah care about is ma'h daughter, an' you betta'h tell me where in god's name she is!" Rogue snarled at the woman, she had regained enough energy to sit up and was now screaming at Jean Grey.  
  
"Rogue, like I said before . . . she is fine, she's just looking for something, the professor knows she's fine and-" Jean threw her self on the ground, narrowly missing the (clean & empty) metallic bedpan that Rogue threw at her head. Logan laughed as he walked in, slowly pulling Jean to her feet.  
  
"Jeannie howabout you let me take over here." He said to her in the doorway, away from Rogue's good aim.  
  
"She's unbearable."  
  
"I know."  
  
"Logan I told Scott I was leaving him . . ."  
  
"Well that's not bad"  
  
" . . . for you" Logan's breath caught and he looked deep into her emerald pools.  
  
"That's not bad either." She slowly nodded her head.  
  
"Lets just take this slow" She whispered, and left the room. Logan smiled wide and turned back to face Rogue.  
  
"Heard you woke up darlin'"  
  
"That ah did" He smirked at her, and she slowly smiled back.  
  
"What's the matter?" Rogue sniffed loudly inspite of herself, and her eyes grew glassy "Why won't ya'll just tell me where ma'h daughter is?"  
  
His expression turned dark.  
  
"You don't wanna know."  
  
"Logan, I'm her mother, and ah just wanna know that she's alright." He reached for her, two big calloused hands gripping her shoulders.  
  
"She's fine, and now that yer awake, she should be comin' home"  
  
-----------------------------------  
  
"Where are ye'h goin'!?" Didier yelled, huffing and puffing in attempt to keep up with her.  
  
"I don't know, but I'm getting the heck out of Louisiana, my mother is dying and I have been getting to comfortable around here!" Aimée states in a rush, as she hastily threw things into a suitcase that Mercy gave her.  
  
"I thought we meant somethin' to one another." His head tipped downward as he clutched a bag across his chest.  
  
"Did' I care about you, I swear . . . it's just that right now," She sat on the bed next to him and cupped his hand tight, "Right now I need to find my dad." His eyes bore deep into hers, the worried expression faded from his handsome face. Didier reached for her and planted a kiss on her lips. When they finally came up for air he smiled wide at her.  
  
"I'm comin' too"  
  
"Didier"  
  
"Aimée I don' wanna hear it," He laughed aloud, shaking his head "girl, a'h t'ink I'm in love wit you."  
  
Aimée's heartbeat skyrocketed and she kissed him again. That was the most romantic thing anyone had ever said to her.  
  
"Fine, but this might not be fun."  
  
"A road trip wit you? Ye'h gotta be kiddin' me!"  
  
The pair laughed as she threw her final belongings into the bags, and they made their way down the steps.  
  
No one was downstairs. Henri had scribbled out a note but she did not bother to read it. It was disappointing not being able to say goodbye, but Aimée knew it was necessary if she and Didier ever wanted to leave. She left notes for various people in different rooms of the house, and paid the Thieves mansion a final goodbye.  
  
"Are you sure you want to do this?"  
  
"Jus' one t'ing, where are we goin'?" Aimée smiled as she hoisted her bag to the back of her bike. "I'm going home."  
  
-Yay!  
  
~foo 


	8. Violent Butterflies

~I created 7 on the 19th and 8 on the 20th, but FFN was acting weird so I'm sorry if I could not post them sooner!  
  
La Fille  
  
Part 8.  
  
Violent butterflies  
  
------------------------------------  
  
"Hey, hey!" Remy said nervously, trying to plead with the man who held the gun nozzle to his head. "Gambit din't do it!"  
  
"Do what?" The man said, his voice rippling with a Cajun accent.  
  
"Do whatever it is dat's makin' ye'h put a gun to me'h head!"  
  
The man laughed aloud, and shook out his blonde hair, and reached for a button on his belt.  
  
"Know dis, a'h would not hesitate te'h kill you . . . for pure pleasure." His smile broadened, "Mister Sinister sends his well wishes." But Gambit did not get a chance to respond, he was already lying asleep on the ground.  
  
------------------------------------  
  
"Just another water, thank you." Aimée told the waitress, as she left the table.  
  
"Jus' a water? Don' tell me'h your anorexic or some shit like dat" Didier said between mouthfuls of his large plate of eggs and bacon. Aimée wasn't anorexic, in fact she was ravenous, but her stomach was so nervous she was afraid she wouldn't be able to hold anything BUT water down. They were in a diner, just outside of Westchester, the pair had chosen to hop a cargo flight from Louisiana to Pennsylvania, and were driving the rest of the way.  
  
"Didier, I have to tell you something that I don't usually tell people." He stopped eating for a second and looked at her. "I don't usually tell people this, because I don't see it as being that important . . . nevertheless, considering where we are headed . . ."  
  
"De Xavier Institute, right?"  
  
"Right,"  
  
"Well what's de problem dere?"  
  
"Didier, I'm a mutant." She paused for a moment, studying the reaction on his face, but he didn't flinch.  
  
"I know"  
  
Aimée doubted she had ever been happier "You know!?"  
  
"Girl, its hard not te'h notice"  
  
She laughed, and shook her head.  
  
"Well this place, Xavier's, its full of mutants, its like a safe haven. A school where we can harness our ability."  
  
"Dat be all ye'h wanted te'h tell me?"  
  
"I guess so, yeah" Aimée laughed again, feeling very stupid indeed. Didier reached under the table and grabbed her knee.  
  
"Ye'h one funny chick."  
  
------------------------------------  
  
"Too early for the danger room!" Galena yelled from her position on Abe's bed.  
  
"Scott told me it was important, and I need to go." He said, pulling on sweatpants over his briefs. She stuck out her lower lip and pouted, but then smiled.  
  
"Well you can make it up to me tonight, we can hang out."  
  
"Okay" Abe responded, and tucked out the door.  
  
------------------------------------  
  
"Eh?" Remy moaned in pain as he came to. His surroundings were familiar . . . to familiar, they were that of what haunted him every night in his dreams. "No!" He yelled, but Remy then looked down. He seemed fine, he was not floating in pinkish goo, there were not needles piercing his skin, however there was a very large collar around his neck, that kept him chained the wall.  
  
"Ah monsieur LeBeau, if its even possible, I must say that you look even more handsome in person." Remy cocked his head up to meet the ominous voice above him.  
  
"Jean?"  
  
------------------------------------  
  
"More!" Scott yelled, as he increased the number of Sentinels in the room, "MORE!"  
  
"I can't!" Abe yelled, he was surround by 30 of his duplicates. Scott shook his head and shut off the simulation. The duplicates popped and only one Abe remained.  
  
"You didn't even break fifty, last week we were at sixty five."  
  
"I know, but I've had a lot on my mind."  
  
"Abraham, you skills are not improving, you are showing a lack of ability in your workouts, and your duplicates are getting pummeled by the sentinels."  
  
"I'm sorry"  
  
"Just work harder, next time I want to see an improvement!" Abe reached for his back and turned to leave the danger room, nearly bumping into O'Rya as he went.  
  
"Abe!" she turned and yelled, noticing who it was.  
  
"Listen, Ry, I had a really bad day . . . the last thing I need is you biting my head off again."  
  
"That's just it, I wanted to apologize, I was really rude the other day."  
  
Abe smiled wide at her.  
  
"Its okay"  
  
"And. I have decided to make it up to you"  
  
Abe replied with a raised eyebrow and a smirk.  
  
"I'm taking you too dinner, tonight"  
  
But before he had a chance to respond, she turned and walked down to the danger room. Abe smiled and reached for his cell, dialing Galena's number as he walked down the hall.  
  
"G? its Abe, you should just go out without me tonight, I just realized I had other plans."  
  
* click *  
  
---------------------------------------  
  
"Darling this is just too easy." Sinister sat back in his chair, and beckoned for his female comrade to join him. The tall redhead woman sat on his lap, gazing adoringly into the mad scientist's eyes. "Specimen B will be very easy to attain, and as for our prisoner," He reached for her wrist and twisted it back painfully, "Keep our wandering eye in check" He hissed as she yelped in pain and quickly leaped off of him. "The Rogue needs to be hit again, except this time . . . harder."  
  
------------------------------------  
  
"Merci" Didier smiled at the cabby, as he handed him some $. Aimée's contagious smile grew wider as she stared at the large looming mansion before her.  
  
"Jesus!" Didier, yelled when he turned around "An' dis place is chock full o' mutants?"  
  
"hey watch it, this is my home"  
  
"s'beautiful"  
  
Aimée smiled at him again, grabbing his hand.  
  
"Comeon! I want you to meet everybody."  
  
------------------------------------  
  
"Rogue are you su-" Xavier stopped suddenly, and he rose his hands to his temples.  
  
"Professor! What is it?" Rogue shrieked, but he smiled.  
  
"Rogue . . . Aimée's home." Rogue was so excited, she did not notice Xavier's face falter slightly. Remy was not with her.  
  
------------------------------------  
  
"Hello!" Aimée yelled as she swung open the big wooden door. But she need not say that, for she was instantly greeted by several of her classmates and teachers. Jean grabbed her and hugged her with as much might as her tiny body could muster. Didier poked his head in. "This is Didier, he's from Louisiana, he's gonna be staying with us for a while." Didier was welcomed with enthusiasm from the women and wry glare from the men, as he snaked a strong arm around Aimée's slim waist.  
  
------------------------------------  
  
Aaron raced down the large staircase, his heart 10 feet ahead of him. But he froze midway down the steps, a heartbreaking look on his face. Didier glanced up at him for a moment, but Aimée was lost in speaking with the people surrounding her. Aaron noticed the arm Didier had snaked around her waist, he had noticed the kisses he continuosly planted on her head., and most of all he noticed the huge smile she wore. His heart sank, and the butterflies in his stomach were turning vicious and violent. Apollo ran for the bathroom . . . she never noticed him walk by.  
  
-Poor Apollo!!!!  
  
~Foo 


	9. A not so happy homecoming

~sorry for the teen angst . . . Harry Potter overdose ( oh and for the lack of happiness . . . blame that on that bitch JK Rowling for killing Sirius! Oh yeah and the sexual frustration between our young mutants is her fault too, haha.  
  
"Silly boy" The woman hissed, kicking Gambit hard so that he doubled over. "Don't sound so hopeful, for I am not your saint Jean Grey."  
  
"Pryor" he spat, his eyes red with fury.  
  
"The Goblin Queen too you, filth" She dug her head painfully into his back. "My lord requires power, and that, love, is where you come in. He is building an army, and wants you on his side . . . in return," Her black lips turned up in a smile "The Rogue can survive."  
  
"what did ye'h do te'h her!?!?" Gambit yelled, his collar electrifying uncomfortably.  
  
"Nothing, yet."  
  
"A'h swea'h if you do anyt'ng!"  
  
"My dear boy" Sinister chuckled, upon entering the room "I doubt you are in any position to do anything about it." Madelyne pressed a button on her waistband, sending electric shocks up his body once more.  
  
"Fine, I'll do it" He muttered quickly, his eyes downcast "Jus' don' hurt her, please don' hurt her"  
  
"Funny it is, you care about her so much even after she sent you away from your only daughter." Searing memories from Gambit's past raced through his head at rapid speed, each reopening old emotional wounds of his.  
  
"Love is such a curse" Sinister sneered. "Now, Monsieur LeBeau, one other thing is required of you . . . regarding the very daughter Madame Pryor speaks of."  
  
"NO!!" Gambit yelled as a teenage Aimée popped onto a large monitor behind them.  
  
"Yes, I am afraid . . . Now to be sure that you do not betray me, I need you to sign a contract."  
  
"What kind 'eh contract?"  
  
"One that binds your powers to me, indefinitely, and if you should betray me, will willingly result in the death of our young mutant friend." Sinister bore his sharp teeth most unattractively "And the death of any others that you care about."  
  
"Fine!" Remy yelled once again, as he felt a needle being pierced into the back of his neck. "AH!!" He yelled as the burning liquid seeped into his veins. "So he bought the army bullshit eh?" Madelyne nodded wickedly in agreement. "Once I finish draining this mutant of his power, and the power of his young daughter, they will be completely venerable. I kill the Rogue and have you lure away Wolverine. The Xmen will come in for a rescue short- handed, and finally with my power I can capture him, and finally I will be able to destroy-"  
  
"The mutant abilities" Madelyne added fiercely.  
  
"Yes of course, of Scott Summer's" Madelyne seductively walked towards him and wrapped her arms around his burly neck. "Oh I'm good!"  
  
-------------------------------------  
  
"So I turn around, and Jean Luc is there with a gun to my head!" Aimée said with enthusiasm, delighting on the look of terror on her mother's face. "But then he saw 'em" she smiled and pointed to her eyes "And he lowered the gun. Mama we talked all night! I never knew I had family in Louisiana, Papa's family, last names and all!" Rogue smiled at her daughter's enthusiasm, she had once met Jean Luc LeBeau and she remembered how taken she was with him; he was not a bad man. "Then I met Mercy, and Henri and Anne, Mercy's pregnant too, and then I met Didier."  
  
"Oh! The part a'h was most interested in from tha' start!" Aimée giggled and went into detail over how they met.  
  
"Psh! For ah girl! When ah get ma'h strength back! Ha! Challenge him te'h lift ah car!"  
  
The two girls laughed together, Aimée was so happy to be back home. "Baby?" Rogue asked slowly. "Can ah ask ya'h somethin'?"  
  
"Sure."  
  
"How come ya'h neva'h asked about ye'h daddy?"  
  
"Guess I didn't think you would want to talk about it."  
  
"Do you rememba'h that day?" "When he came back? Sure I do, I remember he made me laugh, and he had what you would call a 100 watt smile." Rogue laughed as Aimée smiled the exact same way. But Aimée's face turned dark. "I remember how sad you were, and how angry Logan was. I didn't understand why you were all so mad." Rogue reached out for her hand "I knew he was my dad, I knew it, but I wasn't angry with him, I was angry at all. I just wanted to savor every moment, just to catch him up on all that time he missed."  
  
"Are ya'h angry now?"  
  
"I don't know what to think." "Aimée, he's not ah bad man, in fact, he's tha' most wonderful man ah ever met. It's just . . . I don't want ya'h t'hate him. Ah don't hate him anymore. He was just scared, shit we all were. Din't think ya'h would ever survive ma'h powers. I don't think he could face losin' you, that and he thought he was a bad person to be a father."  
  
"Why are you acting like he's dead? You know he could always come back, I don't need you to justify any-"  
  
"Sugah, ah'm not sayin' what he did was right, but I understand it, and there's somethin' ya'h need t'know."  
  
"What?"  
  
"At sunset, the day after you met him and he roared off, he came back. Cryin' carryin' on. Told me he loved you" Rogue took a deep breath "And wanted t'be in ya'h life no matter what. He said that ah din't have ta' take him back, he just wanted to be with you"  
  
"And then he just left again?"  
  
"No, ah told him to go, t'eh get out, te'h neva'h come back he'h again, and te'h never come near you. Or I would kill him." Rogue was in full tears by now "Ah told him that that * sniffle * ya'h hated him, and that you neva'h wanted to see his sorry self again!"  
  
Aimée looked baffeled, dumbstruck may be a better word to describe it. Rogue continued, and yelled, this time louder than ever. Her vision blurred and the woman was obviously on the verge of an emotional breakdown. (think Mayella Ewell in To Kill A Mockingbird, when she was on the witness stand "Yer just a bunch of lyin! Cheatin! YELLABELLY'S!!!! haha okay back to the story.)  
  
"AH TOLD HIM T'GET AS FAR AWAY FROM US AS POSSIBLE!! BECAUSE HE WAS NOTHIN' BUT A LYIN' . . . CHEATIN' . . . BASTARD THEIF!!" She collapsed on the bed in tears and began to sob on Aimée's arm. She sat there for a moment, still, the only sound being her mother's loud sobs. Aimée suddenly withdrew, looking venomous.  
  
"That wasn't your choice." She hissed.  
  
"Baby ah'm"  
  
"That was MY decision. He said he wanted to see me." (k, think Harry Potter spazing out like he always does! Haha I love him still…okay back to the story)  
  
"Calm down, sugah, please." Rogue asked, she was terrified and practically begging.  
  
Aimée slammed her hand down on the table hard.  
  
"NO! NO! No I won't calm down! I didn't hate him! I didn't hate him and you told him I did? YOU LIAR!! It was you! It was your fault he went away!" Rogue sniffled up at her, but Aimée was far past the point of consolation. She rivaled Wolverine's anger when Scott was in the room. Aimée reeled on her mother, chestnut hair flying everywhere. She turned and spoke slowly, but it was a powerful whisper. Chilled to the bone.  
  
"And ya'h know what? I will never hate him, now I just hate you . . ." She sniffed once before leaving the room.  
  
----------------------------------------  
  
"Aim's?" Aimée looked up to see Dupe in her doorway.  
  
"Dupe" she smiled, still clutching her teddy bear.  
  
"What's the matter?" He asked, sitting down on the bed beside her.  
  
"My mother, but I don't really want to talk about it."  
  
"Oka-"  
  
"she sent him away! She was the one who told Remy to leave!"  
  
"Your father . . ."  
  
"I never told you about that, did I?"  
  
"No"  
  
Aimée looked down and told him everything about that day he came back, and every detail of the conversation she had just had with her mother.  
  
"Aimée?" He put his arm around her and held her tight "I love you, you know that? We all love you. So does your mom, and I don't think she was trying to hurt you."  
  
"I know," She said, hugging him tight, "I'm just not ready to forgive her yet." Abe smiled and kissed the top of her head, before Aimée playfully shoved him off of her.  
  
"Ouch! What was that for?"  
  
"You not calling me!"  
  
"You were busy!"  
  
"Fine, what were you so busy with?" Aimée comically raised an eyebrow "Galena?" Abe sighed and laid back on the bed.  
  
"No"  
  
"Prude!"  
  
"No, its just . . . I don't want to be with her."  
  
"Then who?"  
  
---------------------------------------  
  
"Ry?" Aaron called from the doorway. O'Rya shut of her cd player and sat on her bed, looking at him curiously. "Hi" "Hi" He shifted uncomfortably.  
  
"What are you doing here?" She asked blatantly.  
  
"'Rya, I think I made a mistake." O'Rya shifted ever so slightly, but sat silent waiting to hear more. "I'm sorry, I was just scared."  
  
"It's okay, we were moving fast anyway." She smiled up at him and Aaron remembered why he dated her in the first place, "Maybe we can just start fresh . . . dinner? Tonight?"  
  
"Sure" "Then it's a date"  
  
------------------------------------  
  
Aimée spent the rest of the afternoon catching up with old friends. She conversed with the professor about her newfound abilities, and Hank was particularly interested in her trip. But she was happy as the evening fell, and Didier entered her room with a bottle of vodka and a roll of quarters.  
  
"How do you always know how to put me in a good mood?" "I jus' love dat smile o' yours"  
  
------------------------------------  
  
O'Rya slipped into her golden dress, loving how the material felt on her smooth skin. She attached her earing and applied a last coat of lipstick. "Rap Rap Rap" sounded on her door, Aaron was always early.  
  
"Just a minute!" She yelled, looking down at her cell phone.  
  
"I will be back in five! I just have to take care of something first!" He yelled back.  
  
"Kay," O'Rya sighed as she dialed Abe's cell phone number.  
  
------------------------------------  
  
Abe button his shirt and sprayed on a last bit of cologne. He hopped on his bed to see O'Rya's cell phone number flashing across his.  
  
"Hey Ry! Ready? What? Oh, okay, no I'm fine. Yeah. Well as long as your alright, yeah. Uh. Bye." Abe squeezed his eyes shut tight and laid back on his bed, suddenly hating the smell of his cologne.  
  
------------------------------------  
  
Aaron walked slowly down the hall. He raised his hand to knock on Aimée's door but saw that it was already slightly open. He poked his head in, instantly wishing he hadn't. Aimée lie on her bed, feverishly kissing the handsome Cajun atop of her. Aaron once again felt the feeling he had gotten on the stairs and slowly turned his head outside the room. Steadying his breath Aaron turned, and walked down the hall to meet his date.  
  
------------------------------------  
  
"Do it!" Sinister yelled as Madelyne emerged from her chambers, still half asleep, "We have wasted to much time already!"  
  
------------------------------------  
  
Rogue felt every nerve in her body tingle. She gasped for breath and a dry scream escaped her parched lips. Her vision blurred as she toppled off the hospital bed. Landing with a smack on the hard tile floor, blood trickling from her mouth.  
  
------------------------------------  
  
Hank strolled into the hospital ward a half an hour later, whistling through his teeth. "Well my little Scarlette O'Harra, I have a surprise for y-" He froze and dropped the tray of food on the floor as he went to scopp her up. "Jean!" he yelled, "JEAN!"  
  
------------------------------------  
  
Jean reached for her temples, Hank's voice screaming through her head.  
  
"Professor!"  
  
"I heard it too Jean, got get Aimée!" Xavier hovered down the steps feverishly.  
  
------------------------------------  
  
"Aimée!" Jean yelled, out of breath, as she swung the door open. Didier and Aimée froze, looking embarrassed and annoyed at Jean's sudden presence. "Your mother! She's collapsed!"  
  
------------------------------------  
  
Sinister laughed as he watched his guards torture Gambit mercilessly. His horrible chuckle only drowned out by Remy's occasional screams "WHAT HAVE YOU DONE!?!" "SINISTER!" "WHAT HAVE YOU DONE!?!"  
  
"Nothing worse, my boy, than the damage you have already caused." Sinister sneered smiling wickedly, his plan would work afterall.  
  
~yeah I know Madelyne Pryor is no longer the Goblin Queen. But her being in league with Sinister transpired from a picture from the Xmen comic "Rubicon" by Chris Claremont and Jim Lee.  
  
-Foo 


	10. No Fairy Tale

~read review and recommend!  
  
La Fille  
  
Part 10.  
  
No FairyTale  
  
"Mama!" Aimée yelled as Hank and Jean feverishly buzzed around her, "Mama please wake up please! I'm sorry, I'm so sorry, I don't hate you. I love you! Mama please wake up, don't leave me, please." Convulsing sobs ran through her body as she collapsed on-top of her mother's chest.  
  
"Aimée please, we-"  
  
"NO!" She yelled, threatening Jean with a wary glance, "Leave us be!" Beast lifted up the seventeen year old and carried her thrashing out of the room. "No!" "Mama!" "Mama!!!!!" She turned rapidly to find Professor Xavier by her side. "Professor! Professor! What did he do? What did Sinis- 'glluuug'" Aimée collapsed in the furry blue arms of beast, who held her with one arm and a syringe in the other.  
  
"Honestly Hank! Was a sedative nesscessary?" Jean yelled from the next room.  
  
"We can't have her waking the whole house," The professor knitted his brow "What happened?"  
  
"Seems to be the same as last time, her brain just hibernating."  
  
"He is far to powerful, I just wish we could track the bastard!-Scott, Assemble a team first thing tomorrow- we need to find this monster once and for all."  
  
-------------------------------------  
  
"So she comes through the door, hair winswept, cheeks pink, like some woman from a sci-fi romance novel." O'Rya giggled at her own joke, gazing into Aaron's honey colored eyes across the candlelit table, "And she turns to me, and chokes out my name" O'Rya's eyes darkened and her expression slightly faltered, but Aaron was a million miles away "then I notice the flask in her hand, I swear that woman is ungodly" She uttered a light laugh, that took way to much effort, but O'Rya was good at that . . . putting on a brave face to hide her pain. "Aaron!"  
  
Until now, his attention had been entirely devoted to the next table, where a blonde man and a brunette woman were locked in a passionate kiss. He snapped to when O'Rya said his name so tersely, his hazed and gentle eyes staring back confused at her.  
  
"Jesus are you stoned?"  
  
He smiled, and shook his head. Truth was, he was certainly acting like it. But his spirit was not with the conversation, his mind was off somewhere else, trying to get away from the awful position he had put himself in. Aaron's body sat there, still smiling at her like an idiot, his soul drifting on the ceiling, watching the scene with a grin. Why was he doing this? Pretending he wanted to be with her when all he could think about was leaving? Aaron wasn't the best at making decisions, but we're all human . . . erm . . . sort of.  
  
"So . . ." O'Rya looked down at the table, a smile creeping over her lips. "I was thinking about it, and I'm ready." He choked unromantically on his ice, eyes rapidly blinking. "I want to be with you."  
  
------------------------------------  
  
Cigar smoke billowed out of his nostrils as yet again Logan puffed on the tobacco rod. He was sitting outside-the Professor didn't allow people to smoke inside the mansion-the cool breeze whipping his untidy black hair. Logan was concerned about Rogue, and her well being.  
  
"Logan?" He turned and tried a smile as Jean sat beside him.  
  
"What are ye'h doin' out here?" He asked her, still puffing away on his cigar.  
  
"Hank doesn't need me in there." Jean replied seductively, but Logan jumped up with fury.  
  
"Well I'm sure Rogue does!"  
  
"Logan" She smiled, reaching for his arm.  
  
"Sorry Jeannie" He mumbled as he stubbed out his cigar butt "I'm just worried, that's all"  
  
"She'll be fine, expected to make a full recovery by morning. Just had to much spicy food."  
  
"Oh" Logan grunted, a tad ashamed of getting so worried, but thankful nonetheless.  
  
"That's not why I wanted to talk to you, though." She stared down at the ground "Logan I'm leaving, I have to get outta here. I can't deal with Scott any longer. I'm taking Jake away, and I want you to come with us."  
  
"Anything fer you Red."  
  
Logan held her tight, he did not notice the wicked smile that crept over her face. "I knew you'd understand."  
  
------------------------------------  
  
Storm stumbled around the grounds of the mansion, her flask of vodka still in hand. Apparently apologizing to her daughter was too difficult to do without the soft cushion of several shots of bourbon. She had just came from inside, seeing Jean deep in medical work made her wonder where Logan was. CRASH, Ororro found herself lying in a pile of bushes, staring dazed at the sky. The sound of voices flooded into her ears, as she turned to the right. On the steps sat Logan and Jean, in a tight embrace. Storm's cheeks flushed, she did not like what she saw. In a commotion she rose from the bushes and stomped away. 'Why can't I catch a break!? Does every guy I care about HAVE to be-wait a second.' Even with Alcohol coursing through her veins Storm knew something wasn't right there. She had just seen Jean inside. Rushing back to her spot in the bushes she continued eavesdropping on the conversation.  
  
"I'll right back, will you do me a favor and grab Jake? He has a duffel bag in his closet that's packed with all his stuff."  
  
"Sure, I will met you outside in 15 minutes."  
  
"k"  
  
Ororro decided to follow Jean. She walked briskly for a few moments before darting behind bushes herself. Jean reached for her cell phone.  
  
"The wolverine has taken the bait." She hissed, staring absentmindly at her nails. "Give Lord Sinister that message and tell him to keep his mental shields on high alert."  
  
"Pryor" Storm muttered under her breath, she looked down but upon glancing back up, realized that Madelyne was missing. CLICK. The barrel of the gun pressed firmly against Her temple.  
  
"Nosey Nosey Nosey, didn't anyone tell you that curiosity killed the cat?"  
  
"Madelyne what do you want with Wolverine! Leave us be!"  
  
"And unfortunately for you, I can't have any felines around to give up my secret. Sleep little one, for I doubt the goddess will hear your prayers now." Storm's body went rigid, as the bullet planted itself firmly in her skull.  
  
"Schmirnof's silent, the preferred choice of Villains everywhere." Madelyne giggled and stepped over the lifeless body.  
  
---------------------------------  
  
Abe watched Aimée through the glass wall of the medical lab. She lie dormant, overtop of her mother's unconscious body, the sobs had long since stopped. His breathing had normalled, but Abram was still taken aback by Rogue's seemingly lifeless form. Rogue was always kind to him, letting him stay over whenever he wanted, taking care of him, since he was so far from home. And Aimée . . . Aimée was his best friend in the world, he didn't want to see anything else happen to her, He feared it would send her off the edge.  
  
"Abram?" Didier called from the hall; his face was concerned (think Legolas at Boromir's death.yes Didier looks like Orlando Bloom!) and his scruffy hair more out of order than usual. Abe couldn't help but feel sorry for the guy.  
  
"Yeah?" He asked, looking up to the deep purple eyes of Aimée's companion.  
  
"Do ye'h? is she? Is Aimée goin' te'h be okay? Sa mère?"  
  
"I don't know man, its pretty bad."  
  
"What should I do?"  
  
"Just be there for her, You love her don't you?"  
  
"Oui"  
  
"Then it won't matter what you say."  
  
"Merci, droit d'ici à vous." He motioned from his heart to Abe, and turned to the medlab entrance. Abe sighed and turned away shaking his head . . . just another fool in love.  
  
-----------------------------------  
  
"Jesus Aaron its just sex! O'Rya yelled as she lay on top of him. The couple lye beneath the pale yellow covers of the hotel room they had rented for the night. The moonlight shown bright through the matching curtains. Aaron had evaded getting naked for about an hour. His guilt was filling him up like helium in a ballon, and any second he feared he would pop. O'Rya abrubtly pushed herself off of him, taking the sheet with her. She sat down in the cushy pinstripe chair with the sheet draped about her like a toga. With her stern face and bedding gown, to Aaron she resembled a goddess . . . the goddess of fury if there was one. He prepared himself for a blow. "What's going on? Any other guy would have done it by now . . . twice!" Aaron sat up in his boxers, his honey eyes clouding with guilt. "Oh no, Aaron Beamers don't do this to me, don't you break up with me again."  
  
"O'Rya"  
  
"No! Don't start! I don't wanna hear it! I don't care, I just don't give a damn. I don't give a damn about your excuses! I am sick of hearing it!" Tears rose to her eyes as her stunning face turned red with anger. Aaron sat in silence for a little while, staring at his boxers and counting the stripes. "What happened to us?"  
  
"I don't know"  
  
"Yes you do"  
  
He looked up guilty at her, suddenly wishing he had a bottle of Jack Daniels next to him. Cracking his neck, he attempted to gulp down the lump in his throat, hoping it would kill the sharp pains in his stomach.  
  
"O'Rya, I love you, you know that, and I will always care for you." He took a deep breath and started over "I did something wrong, I made a mistake. I lied to you. I made you think that I was there when I wasn't. I did a horrible terrible thing, but I can live with that. I wouldn't be able to live with the guilt of what I was about to do. I have morals. Believe it or not, and I know you know that I am not a bad person. I'm just sick of lying . . . O'Rya. Forgive me, but I think I'm in love with someone else."  
  
------------------------------------  
  
"Dammit Madelyne! What is taking so long? I want her on her way and I want it now!" Sinister yelled into the phone.  
  
"Sinister ye'h leave her out o' dis! Dis be between you an' Gambit! Bess' leave Aimée alone!"  
  
"Shut up!" he hissed, turning back towards the cell. "What do you mean? Occupied?"  
  
"Dammit Sinister! Listen te'h me!" Gambit threw himself, at Sinister, but the chains effectively restrained him as Sinister sent yet another bolt of electricity up his spine. "Aiyee!"  
  
"Pryor, you will send that girl to me." He snarled, stabbing a knife hard into the table "Just deal with this problem in the only bloody way you know how!!"  
  
------------------------------------  
  
"Aimée?" Didier asked cautiously as he let himself into the room. Aimée popped her head up, her hair was caught in her lip glossy and her eyes were red and puffy, she smiled, and Didier couldn't believe how beautiful she was.  
  
"Hey" She said sniffing, reaching up for a tight embrace.  
  
"It's okay baby, everythin's goin' to be alright." Aimée pulled back and sat on the bed, reaching for her mother's hand.  
  
"You know what scares me?" She said emotionlessly "I meant what I said, I really did hate her." Her elegant face scrunched up and she leaned back into his chest.  
  
"She loved you, an' she knew ye'h loved her. She will make it through dis, okay?" He said fiercly gripping her by the shoulders "Ye'h jus' need to believe it." He whispered, pulling her back in for another hug. "Je t'aime, vous sais cela?" (I love you, you know that?) Aimée nodded into his chest, burying her face into his tear-streaked tee shirt. "It will be okay, je prom-" But the bullet hit his forehead before he could respond.  
  
"Didier!!!!!" Aimée screamed, clutching his rigid body, "Didier!!!" But it was too late, a bullet to the head, he was already gone. "Didier no . . . no no no . . . don't be gone, not now." Blood seeped out of him, staining the clean white sheets. She sobbed hard against his lifeless body, hoping that maybe her tears would bring him back to life. But this was no fairytale . . . this was her life. At age seventeen Aimée lye there, sobbing uncontrollably, drenched in someone else's blood, clutching the dead body of her fallen love.  
  
~I had to do it.  
  
-Foo 


	11. Life Trades

~sorry so short! But the next few will be KILLERS!  
  
La Fille  
  
Part 11.  
  
Life Trades  
  
Didier was cold by then, no one had come in time, and he was already dead. The tears were drained, she couldn't cry anymore . . . What did crying achieve? It was her being to wrapped up in her own selfish emotions that killed him in the first place. Killed him and left her mother in a coma. Jean had come, shock panels in toe, but she knew that there was no hope. They had ushered him out, keeping Aimée away, leaving her on the bloodstained sheets of her mother's bed. She did not know how long she sat there, but she knew no one had come to find her, or at least clean her up . . . Not that she would have let him or her. Rogue slept peacefully, un- aware of the chaos that had erupted around her. She clutched the crimson sheets tightly between her fingers, wringing out every last drop. Aimée wasn't going to cry, she wasn't going to give Sinister the satisfaction of her tears. Expressionless she looked at her mother, red hot rage clawing at her already raw insides. Sinister would pay . . . he would not get away with this. Aimée pushed herself up from the bed and walked briskly into the hall, grabbing the keys to an X-bike she headed for the door.  
  
"Where are you off too in such a hurry?" A voice called from the shadows.  
  
"Professor just let me go"  
  
"Not if I know that you are endangering your life, and the life of two others very dear to my heart." He stated, rolling in front of her exit.  
  
"Come off it!" she hissed, spinning on her heel to face his calm face, "I don't think it was you who just witnessed their lover's final moments! I don't think it was you who was just drenched in their blood! Lying on the bed where your mother sleeps in a fucking coma! I think I am entitled to do whatever the hell I want."  
  
"This is not the time to be chasing a villain you have never gone up against. Let alone actually met. You are frazzled, weak, delirious, you need to calm yourself and the Xmen"  
  
"Fuck the Xmen. You move, or I move you."  
  
Charles stared down his young pupil, but was interrupted by Scott's frantic scream.  
  
"Professor! Jacob's gone!"  
  
Using this blind opportunity to her advantage, Aimée quickly kicked out one of the professor's wheels.  
  
"Sorry Charlie" She muttered as he collapsed in a heap, and Scott ran hastily to revive him.  
  
------------------------------------  
  
Wolverine carried Jacob with one arm and his duffel with the other, as they headed out to the car. The cloak of night shielding them from the mansion's eyes.  
  
"Is he asleep?"  
  
"Yes, Jean I feel odd doing this . . . this isn't like you."  
  
"Well are you coming or not?" Logan stared back at her unsure, his conscience finally deciding to voice its opinion. Madelyne, I mean 'Jean' frowned slightly, but kissed him firmly on the mouth, "Does that help?"  
  
"S-Sure" He said unsteadily, staring at her confused. His mind racing with questions, but knowing better than to ask aloud.  
  
-------------------------------------  
  
"I am getting impatient" Sinister snarled as he paced back and forth before the bruised and battered body of Remy LeBeau, "And believe it or not," He hissed with a chuckle "When I am not pleased, I tend not to be such a nice guy. And right now, my dear boy, I am not getting what I want, and I am beginning to feel the familiar red hot sear of rage coarse through me."  
  
"Ah w-won't do it! Ye'h can' make me'h!! Ah'll die firs'!"  
  
"Oh and you shall, but remember what I have over your head here?" Rogue's sleeping face appeared on a screen behind them. "Are you willing to risk your true love's life for this daughter, you barely know?"  
  
"Dat's what Rogue would 'ave done. I would sacrifice anyt'ing for dat girl!"  
  
Sinister was agitated; Gambit was stronger than he had expected.  
  
"What if I could guarantee, the child would not die? Think about it, You live, Rogue lives, and Aimée lives."  
  
"What's in it for you?"  
  
"Her mutant abilities."  
  
"That's suicide! Combined with mine? Do ye'h t'ink I'm stupid?"  
  
"Fine, new ultimatum, call her or I kill Rouge now . . . Nice . . . and Slow . . . If you know what I mean m'sieu"  
  
Of course Remy knew what he meant, and there was no way he was letting Rogue get raped under his command. Shaking his head in defeat, Remy allowed Sinister to removed the mental helmet. There had to be another way.  
  
------------------------------------  
  
"Aimée"  
  
"Who's there!" She yelled, spinning around, "Back away!"  
  
"Aimée its Remy"  
  
"Papa?" She whispered, slumping down on the stone wall, She was startled for a moment but then continued on casually . . . this was the first time she had "kindof" heard his voice in 12 long years.  
  
"Whatever ye'h do, don' come te'h Sinister's!"  
  
"Mama, she's practically dead."  
  
"And dat will become a reality 'less ye'h stay away from he'h"  
  
'LeBeau! What are you doing? That is insolence!'  
  
"Papa what's going on!?"  
  
"Nothing I can't handle! Forget 'bout moi! Save yourselves, DON'T COME TO SIN'!-"  
  
'Ahh, the young Ms. Lebeau'  
  
"Who is this? What have you done with mon pere?"  
  
'Nothing worse than what he has already been subjected to . . ."  
  
"Sinister! How did you get into the mental message?!"  
'I am far more powerful than you imagine'  
  
"Leave him alone!"  
  
'I am afraid not! He has attempted to trick me, this treachery must be punished. And in our agreement, his price was you mother's life.'  
  
"NO!"  
  
'Don't fret, ma chere, I am willing to cut a bargain with you.'  
  
"What kind of bargain?"  
  
'You, for your mother's life . . . and quite possibly your father's also.'  
  
~*~  
  
'Aimée? Are you still there?'  
  
"I'll do it"  
  
-so close!  
  
~Foo 


	12. Sinister's Grand Plan

!! Special thanks to Aj's Girl, for sending me that important piece of information in her review! Lol, apparently La Fille also means "the prostitute"!? Fleur? Is that true? Well hopefully it is more commonly used as "the daughter" because no time soon will Aimée become a prostitute! Enjoy the chapter, and keep those reviews coming!  
  
La Fille  
  
Part 12.  
  
Sinister's Grand Plan  
  
"I am making too many deals with these underlings, I can barely keep track of my own agenda." Sinister furiously kneaded a stress ball. "I feel so weak . . ."  
  
"Don' get discouraged M'lord, t'ings will work out in de end."  
  
"Bah! What do you know, woman?" He hissed, sending her away with the wave of his hand. Sinister never was a patient man, and she was making him wait much longer than needed. He had a real problem in letting Gambit live, but she needed to see him in order for her full power to be released. Groaning aloud Sinister stretched in his chair. It was not exactly common for a criminal mastermind to be sitting there with nothing to do . . . but there he was, bored.  
  
-------------------------------------  
  
Aimée got no enjoyment out of her brisk ride to Sinister's lair. Her mind was not on riding, Sinister had told her where to go, her mind was trying to focus on forming a plan. A course of action, and preferably one that would not get her father or her killed. She felt guilty about hurting the professor, and even more so about leaving without saying goodbye. But there was no reason for her to stay, her mother would not wake up until she found Sinister, Aimée just hoped she wasn't to late to save Gambit's life as well. A rundown warehouse loomed in front of her. Its dark red form barely visible against the dark forest background. The bike slowly came to a halt. Aimée tossed her jacket on the bike and stuck a lit cigarette in her mouth.  
  
"Come on LeBeau, pull yourself together." She said, shaking out her windblown mane and slowly making her way towards the looming building.  
  
------------------------------------  
  
"Professor are you sure you're alright?"  
  
"I'm fine Hank, please look for Ororro, or try to pull Scott together. We need to assemble a team. I will log onto Cerebro, I must try and find that little boy, and even more importantly . . . find Mr. Sinister.  
  
"Yes sir."  
  
Hank quickly padded down the hall, heading straight for Scott's bedroom. Passing Jean he gave her a reassuring glance. However she was busy trying to locate Wolverine.  
  
'Logan'  
  
--------  
  
Logan's head snapped up as he heard Jean's voice in his head.  
  
"What's the matter?" Madelyne asked from the backseat.  
  
"Nothin' Red, Nothin' at all." Clearing his mind Logan focused on Jean's voice, he knew there was something fishy going on.  
  
'Jeannie?'  
  
'Logan, where are you, we need you, I need you, Jacob is missing.'  
  
'Don't worry, he's fine.'  
  
'What? How do you know?'  
  
'I'm with him right now, listen, I'm not really sure what's goin' on here, but the kid's safe with me.'  
  
'I trust you Logan.'  
  
'I can't talk anymore, she's watchin'.' 'Who?'  
  
'I love you Jean.'  
  
'Logan?'  
  
'Logan . . .'  
  
'Logan!'  
  
Jean frowned, pushing back the brim of tears and composing herself. She did not shy away from duty. Hurrying purposefully down the hall she reached Scott's room, her old room. Scott, red and pained looked up.  
  
"Scott, he's fine." "Wha-?"  
  
"It's not important, what is important is Sinister. We need to assemble a team."  
  
----------  
  
Wolverine drove on, keeping a straight face, his poker face. Madelyne lie back in the seat, stretching and playing with her hair.  
  
"Not much longer." She singsonged, picking at her nails. Logan groaned, how was he going to get out of this without harming Jacob. His heart practically burst when he looked at the gas nozzle, E . . . for nearly empty.  
  
"I need to take a pitstop" "What for?"  
  
"Gas."  
  
"Fine, but make it quick, I don't want Scott following us."  
  
"Sure thing darlin'"  
  
They pulled up at the empty Texaco.  
  
"Looks like self service, Red, I'll pump you pay." Wolverine muttered, letting himself out. Madelyne followed and head towards the Gas-Mart. She returned 5 minutes later an old fashioned bottle of coke in hand.  
  
"Here, I'll drive." She smiled, rubbing herself up against his muscular body. "Logan? What did you do with the keys?"  
  
"Uh, Mutsa'h thrown 'em in the backseat." Frowning she placed the bottle on the hood on the car and bent down to find them.  
  
"Logan, they aren't back here."  
  
* SNIKT * His blades shot out of his knuckles fast, raising his arm Logan glared at the woman, he was prepared to slice. But he couldn't, she was right on top of Jake, and he could not kill in a 7 yr olds presence. Settling for a concussion her broke the bottle on the hood of the car.  
  
"Wha?" She shouted, but the bottle smashed to her skull before the woman could continue. Fuming, Logan rolled her body out of the car and got behind the wheel. Madelyne woke to the screeching of tires and a broken gas nozzle. Sinister would not be pleased.  
  
------------------------------------  
  
She kicked down the front door effortlessly. Its raw and cracked oak frame crumbled upon impact. Aimée glared at her dark surroundings. It was dark but not necessarily empty. Cobwebs littered the dusty corners, and the boarded up windows offered little light. Old Crates sat in no particular order and one half of the room was littered with boxes. The room smelled of stale bread, and the only audible sound was that of the scurry of tiny rat feet. It seemed Mr. Sinister was a stickler for the old clichés. Aimée made her way across the room. Her pointed heels clapped loudly on the ancient wooden floorboards as she tossed the cigarette butt aside. BROARH, Aimée wheeled around to a blaze of flaming boxes.  
  
"Shit!" She yelled aching for any type of power to be inside of her, but the flames only grew taller. The crackling of burning boxes had alerted Sinister's oblivious guards, and Aimée found herself pinpointed with several bright red dots.  
  
"FREEZE BITCH" A tall Hispanic man hissed, his gun being the largest she assumed him the leader. "Put your hands on your head." She did not move. "DO IT!" Aimée smiled at the man, slowly raising her arms above her head. He licked his lips and lowered his gun for a moment, but a moment was all she needed. One long muscular leg swung out and knocked the man on the ground. Aimée reached for the gun, ducking behind a crate and taking out two guards. The Hispanic man yelled, enraged "FIRE!" A hail of bullets rained down on her tiny form, there were too many for her, especially with only a half empty gun. She needed to run for it. Raising the weapon, she gripped so tightly in her slim white hand, Aimée fired, hitting the leader square in the shoulder. He screamed in pain and she ran off, using the distraction to her advantage. The guards were not far behind, but there was a light in the office at the end of the hall. She ran for it, and threw herself through the door.  
  
"Phew" She sighed heavily, taking a step back and smiling at her narrow escape. "Aiyee!" screaming, Aimée fell backwards into a deep hole. She landed with a thud. Her surroundings were dimly lit, and did not smell as poorly. Aimée could make out a light at the end of a long hall. "Where am I?" She asked aloud, rubbing her back as she came to a shaky stand.  
  
"We have been expecting you."  
  
------------------------------------  
  
"I found her!" Charles Xavier exclaimed, removing his helmet and hastily moving out of Cerebro.  
  
"What's the matter prof?" Jubilation Lee asked, smacking on her gum.  
  
"Jubilee, why aren't you in the danger room with Scott?"  
  
"He sent me down to find out what the deal is, where are we supposed to be goin' anyway?"  
  
"I would appreciate it if you did not take this situation so lightly. 5 Our Xmen are in serious danger, and we are still unsure about where Storm is."  
  
"Gee whiz, sorry"  
  
"It doesn't matter, follow me, I have figured out where Sinister is holding him prisoner."  
  
"Professor?"  
  
"Yes, what is it?"  
  
Jubilee stopped for a moment, and stared at the ground.  
  
"Professor who's the 'him' you keep on talkin' about?"  
  
"Logan's fine, as is Jacob."  
  
"Well that's two, then Rogue and Aim's, but I still don't know who this third guy is."  
  
"Gambit"  
  
"Professor! All this for him!?"  
  
"I understand your place in this matter, Jubilation, but whether some of us like it or not, he is an X-man and always will be a part of the X-team. Right now he's in danger, and I will do anything in my power to help." 'Professor'  
  
'what now Jean?'  
  
'Rogue's gone!'  
  
------------------------------------  
  
Aimée whirled around to face another guard, this time however, they were much more intelligent about her capture. She winced as the electric cuffs popped around her wrists. The guard walked them slowly down the hall, and the light came into view. It was another room, big and dimly lit, like all the rest. Aimée didn't exactly like what she saw. Sinister, sat in a large stone chair, looking exactly as she remembered him from her training manuals. His dark red eyes bored into her as he smiled wide and devilish. Aimée spat at the ground and continued to take in her surroundings. Large blank monitors were placed behind Sinister's seat, and a large metallic desk sat in front of it. Lab equipment littered one half of the room, odd trinkets and tiny broken robots. Ten feet to the left of Sinister's desk were two 3ft tall poles. They were metallic, she assumed, but they did not shimmer or shine. The tops of these poles were covered with two large flat discs, and behind it all was a large tank (Fish! Not Army! Lol). Finally in the center of the room a large, for lack of a better word, ray-gun, was set up, it was pointing at not particular place and seemed to not yet be turned on. Neither the gun nor the tank, however, distressed Aimée as much as what she saw next. Her father lie, battered in a shallow pool of pink liquid, large metallic gloves were fitted around his arms, and chains locked on to his legs and forearms. His bruised body was haphazardly injected with needles and a large cord connected to his spine. He seemed to be hooked up to one large machine, with too many nuts and bolts to count. Aimée could not deduce what was happening, but she knew that he must have been in great pain. His eyes were bleak and his body raw and tired, Gambit could barely lift his head to meet her watery eyes.  
  
"PAPA!!" She screamed, trying to get towards him as fast as possible, but the electric handcuffs prevented that. "AIYEEE!!" they were stronger than she thought.  
  
"So this is she . . . La Fille . . . the miraculous 'Fauve' . . . the impossible daughter of two of the most powerful mutants, and she's completely in my control." Sinister laughed loudly, his greed overtaking the large and scientifically engineered body.  
  
"What are you doing to him!?"  
  
"Nothing that bad, shocks, injections, the usual." Sinister chuckled at his own joke, as he stood to greet his young prisoner.  
  
"I came, now what do you want with us?"  
  
"Your powers, silly girl, no doubt you have attempted to use them upon entering, but found your supply, ehm, bone-dry. That should make it easier for me to access them." Signaling another set of guards, Sinister stepped back as they forced Aimée into the lockdown position next to Gambit. "I can not touch Scott Summer's, I can not be near him, in an instant he would kill me without thinking twice. It was impossible, and my men were to dim. The one experiment I needed and wanted more than anything, would fail, and for once I could not do anything about it. So I began to think, my great mind began to pulsate with different ideas and possibilities. Ability. Summer's is more powerful than I. But if I had mutant ability, other than my immortality, then I would be unstoppable. I created a machine; it draws power from other mutants. I wanted, no needed Jean Grey's power. And I knew who could bring her to me. Monsieur LeBeau. I sent out my men to seek him, to find out where he was, and we were successful in his capture. However, when we searched, we found something more spectacular. The Rogue, had had a baby. It was impossible, no manmade object could possibly control her superhuman abilities, but she had a baby nonetheless. My men moved in for the capture, I forgot completely about Jean Grey and her kidnapping, and focused in on the Rogue. My men were unsuccessful in its capture, a psyonic force combined with the Rogue's pure maternal hatred for anything that came to harm her child. We retreated, and I sat down to think again. Psyonic force. Rogue had no psychic ability, so it must have been the child. I am no fool, I know that children as young as 14 are barely equipped with their mutant ability. Only the most powerful, can come across them.(smiles) the child, it seemed was a prodigy, an extremely powerful mutant with a psychic shield. I began to think, who was the father? The Rogue would not simply deflower herself for anything short of 'true love'. I overheard my men talking; they had forgotten to give me one detail of their account. The child it seemed bore frightening "demon eyes", red on black, 100% mutated. I knew then, and I smiled. Jean Grey and Cyclops could live peaceful live out their peaceful lives, I did not care, I was focusing entirely on this child. But unluckily for me, Gambit had escaped already, therefore he was no longer in my control and once again I was no match for the X-Men."  
  
"You bastard!"  
  
"Call me all the names you want, but the fact is, this was never about you, and do, take this as a compliment, you, Miss LeBeau, are one of the most powerful mutants I have come across, at least those that are attainable. Now mixing your father's ability with yours is just like having both he and the Rogue's ability, only controlled. I will be a suitable, if the odds aren't slightly tipped in my favor, match for Mr. Summers. Once I have your powers, the Xmen will arrive, along with them, Cyclops, as you call him. You see upon rescuing you, he will attempt to 'be the hero' and attack me, unaware of my new abilities. We will capture the Xmen, and I will be able to drain Scott's abilities for all their worth. Why do I need Scott's heir, when I can have his powers all to myself? Never again fearing my downfall, I will be free. Free reign to take on whatever it is I wish to take on."  
  
"And you think that Xavier is just going to take this lying down?"  
  
"lying down? Yes, he will be dead."  
  
"NO!" Aimée screamed as the guards shot electricity up her spine.  
  
"Silly girl, guards, watch her, I need to deal with one of your own's insolence." Aimée looked up to see the, still profusely bleeding, Hispanic guard follow Sinister; his expression was heartbreaking. There was no doubt he knew that he was about to be killed.  
  
"Aimée" Remy whispered, it was the first time she had seen him in 12 years. "Je t'aime, an' ah know dis isn't de place, but I'm sorry, bout leavin, I'm sorry about Sinister, but ye'h see he was in m'ah -cough cough- ah juss' listen, ah know you hate me, but we need to get out of he'h, non? I have an idea."  
  
"There's no point, you heard him, he's gonna kill us, he's gonna kill everybody, and its all my fault."  
  
"Non! Dis be Gambit's problem, and he is not takin' anyone down wit him. Ye'h are gonna get out o' he'h, I need ye'h help."  
  
Aimée bit her lip, looking down and contemplating her options.  
  
"What do I have to do?"  
  
------------------------------------  
  
"Insolence, is a serious offense." Sinister sneered at the guard, "Do you know what insolence means?"  
  
"Insolence, noun, the trait of being rude and impertinent; inclined to take liberties. An offensive or disrespectful act."  
  
"You have been trained well, you were a good soldier, too bad you didn't learn how to follow orders." The guard was shaking by now, most likely going cold from blood loss. "You are lucky, that Miss Pryor is not on duty, she would be much less forgiving as to the spot to place another bullet."  
  
CRACK  
  
The bullet hit him square in the forehead.  
  
"Good job Hugues, maybe I will give you the honors of killing our current prisoners, I'm sure Aimée would enjoy that. Hahaha, but don't worry, you will see her later on."  
  
------------------------------------  
  
Aimée began to sob uncontrollably; she had been doing so for the past 10 minutes. The guards were beginning to get restless.  
  
"Dammit! What is it?" A large bald man finally yelled, "Why won't you stop crying?"  
  
"I haven't seen my dad in 12 years! and now I'm gonna die, I just want to hug him one last time."  
  
The man seemed to contemplate this for a moment.  
  
"Fine, one hug, then you'll shut up, deal?"  
  
"Thank you!" She sniffed as he unpopped her plugs, and most importantly her arm holds. Latching her arms around his neck, she whispered softly.  
  
"I just hope this works."  
  
"It will." Whipping her head around Aimée focused on the large metallic gun, what she hoped to be the ability drainer. The machine began to glow; a fiery reddish purple haze came over it. Sinister entered the room and screamed. "NO!" but it was too late, and BOOM; the machine blew. Charred shards of metal now decorated Sinister's desk as his greatest creation lie in fiery rubble.  
  
"Fools!" He hissed, as the two guards hastily locked up a smiling Aimée. "So much work down the drain, so much of my power." Sinister slammed his fist against the wall, creating a small hole in it. But when he turned around to face Aimée, he was smiling.  
  
"That, may have been an annoying setback, my dear, I underestimated you. But lucky for me, I always have a plan B." The smirk fell from her face, as her eyes snapped to the doorway at the far wall.  
  
"NO!!" Aimée and Remy yelled in unison, as two guards led a delirious Rogue through the door.  
  
------------------------------------  
  
~7 pages in Microsoft word baby!  
  
-Foo 


	13. The Coming of the Rogue

Note:  
  
I was too tired to proofread this! I know! I'm so bad! WARNING for grammar mistakes!  
  
La Fille  
  
Part 13.  
  
The Coming of the Rogue  
  
"Its funny how things work out isn't it?" Mr. Sinister sneered at his prisoners, "Funny that in attempting to save yourselves, you have just further implicated this woman, that you both claim to love, to more pain." Stroking Rogue's cheek affectionately, he whispered, "I never meant to hurt you, but it seems that this is the only path." She writhed in disgust, drool dribbling out her mouth in this delirious state. "Hook her up!" he hissed, stepping away from her semi-conscious body. The two guards popped cuffs onto her wrists; the metal restraints were attached to two long black tubes, connecting to the tank Aimée had seen earlier. Rogue's gloves were slipped off and tossed aside as her pale, delicate hands were placed forcefully onto two metallic disks (held up by the strange poles we had seen earlier) and fastened there. Finally a large piece of headgear was fitted around her lobe, wires raveled around the piece in no particular order.  
  
"Proceed"  
  
Rogue's hands began to glow, or maybe it was the disks below her, but nevertheless something was happening. Her body convulsed in a seizure-like manner as sweat began to form on her brow.  
  
"What's happening!? What are you doing to her!?" Aimée screeched, pulling feverishly on her binds, not noticing two beefy guards move next to her and remove Gambit from his restraints.  
  
"Noooo! Stoppit! Sinister, dere has te'h be another way!"  
  
"Monsieur, you have lost all privileges of discussion, in your best interest I suggest you go quietly."  
  
A lever was pulled by Rogue's restraints and her hands popped free, but only for a second. Aimée screamed as the guards guided her palms to Remy's face.  
  
"No!"  
  
The impact sent shivers up and down his spine, and his body ricocheted around like an animal trapped in a cage, until finally . . . going limp.  
  
"What happened?" Mr. Sinister snarled, pushing himself roughly out of the chair.  
  
"She's done, that's it."  
  
"That's it? That's not enough!" he yelled pointing at the tank, his voice growing more and more shrill. Sinister paced back and forth for a few moments, before reeling on Aimée. "You little bitch!"  
  
She smiled devilishly.  
  
"You tried to trick me!? Well it will NOT work! Put him back, he's worthless, unlock the girl."  
  
Aimée hissed and snapped at her prisoners, facing Sinister once more to gloat in his face, "It does not have the same effect on me! I can control it!"  
  
"Then I will make her hit harder!" He hastily turned a knob on the tank, causing Rogue to scream out in pain. Gambit was already back into his bindings, his head lolling around on his neck. The guards unlocked Aimée. She sighed in relief as the second wrist cuff popped off; finally, she felt circulation running through her veins. But her smile did not last, as she felt her body being shoved foreword towards her mother.  
  
"It'll never work! I can fight back!" Lies spewed out of her mouth, in a last ditch attempt to save herself. True, Rogue did not have as much absorbing power over Aimée, but it only went as far as to protect her from death or a coma. She would not fall unconscious, but Rogue would gain her powers. Mr. Sinister, however, did not know that, and Aimée was trying her best to convince him of her truth. "No!!" But it was to late, two shockingly cold hands were placed on her cheeks, and Aimée screamed out in pain. She had never felt anything like this before. Her body grew weak, as bright lights flashed before her eyes. Colors danced in her head, and her body, became nothing but a heap. "Unngh" she moaned, quivering she pried her eyelids open, at least the pain was gone, now she just felt empty, bone- dry might be a way to describe it. "Perfect . . ." Sinister looked almost ravenous, and he was practically drooling at the sight of the large tank filling with the clear fluid. Aimée kept her eyes pinned on him as the guards pulled her away from her mother, and re-did the restraints. A glimmer of hope shined through her cluttered mind. He was weak, weaker than she, and desperate for power. Power, she knew, that would consume him. Mr. Sinister licked his lips and turned to face his captives. "It's rude not to look at someone when they are speaking to you." He chuckled, sending electric shocks up Remy's spine, who in turn regained a painful consciousness. A muscular female guard prepared a headgear much like the one that Rogue was currently dressed in. The only difference being a long tube attached to the tank of Gambit and Aimée's abilities. Sinister sat back on a chair, as the woman walked towards him, headpiece in hand. There was suddenly a loud smash, and Madelyne crashed through the roof. She landed gracefully on the ground, but had a very panicked look on her face.  
  
"My Lord! Forgive me! Wolverine and the boy have fled! He knows!" Dropping to her knees and bowing down before his feet, "Forgive me . . ."  
  
Sinister looked oddly calm.  
  
"Never mind him, the Xmen will not arrive in time to stop me! Now, S27, proceed with the transfer."  
  
Madelyne slowly rose to her feet, and hurried to take her position by the wall. S27, the muscular female guard, returned with the headpiece and fitted it snugly upon Mr. Sinister's head. He grimaced as it locked into place.  
  
"And now," He sneered at Aimée, "For my greatest invention yet."  
  
The machine turned on with a flash. The tank's clear liquid bubbled furiously as it slowly drained from the glass enclosure. Rogue and Sinister's bodies convulsed in rhythm, as they shook and trembled into seizure after seizure. It was loud, someone was screaming, it took Aimée a moment to realize that it was herself.  
  
"Mama!!!"  
  
Suddenly the lights shut off, the room blackened, and grew silent, only small whimpers could be heard from the corner.  
  
"Activate emergency power. Repeat. Activate emergency power."  
  
The lights came back on, much brighter than before, and the horrible scene unfolded before Aimée's eyes, Her mother lye in the corner, blooding puddling out of her scorched hands, her eyes lolled back into her skull. Her father trembled beside her, semi-conscious because of the electric shocks coursing up and down his spine; he had bruises up and down his handsome face. The faceless guards stood along the walls, blocking all chances of escape. And right in the middle, sat Mr. Sinister. His chalk white face was more gaunt than usual and his eyes were losing color. He resembled someone who had been addicted to heroin, as he lye baked in the large stone chair. Sinister stirred.  
  
"Master? Sinister! Sinister are you alright?" Madelyne fled from her corner, as he moaned. She helped him stand, because he seemed unable to do it on his own. Sweat poured from his forehead as he glared at Aimée.  
  
"I am more powerful than you will ever be Sinister! You cannot have it!"  
  
He was stumbling, faltering, but kept the smug smile plastered to his face.  
  
"But I do have it, Mademoiselle LeBeau, I have all your power, and now you are nothing but yet another missing person." He signaled to a large bald guard who stood in the shadows, the man reached into his jacket and pulled out a large glock, he was going to kill them.  
  
"Who first?" Sinister hissed in discomfort, trying to keep control even though he was trembling in pain. "Maybe your poor tragic mother? Doomed never to touch, lets put her out of her misery eh?"  
  
"No!"  
  
"Or maybe dead beat dad over here? Deserts you for 17 years, and then drags you into this mess of his past. Maybe he is the one who deserves to die."  
  
"Stoppit! Sinister Stop it! If its power you have then lets test it out!" Emitting a loud animal cry Aimée ripped at her bindings. She pried, using all of the force she had in her not-so-tiny body. The wires popped, and metal restraints came loose. Ripping off the tubes Aimée glared at Sinister, who simply stared back. Madelyne was frightened, how had she escaped? But Sinister, Sinister was as pompous as ever, and he slowly pulled himself to a standing position.  
  
"Do you honestly expect to beat me?"  
  
"Do you honestly expect me to let you kill off my family?"  
  
He smiled at the last remark.  
  
"If it's a fight you want, Mr. Sinister, then it's a fight you're gonna get! Come on Sinny boy! Lets see what you got, see if you can really handle what's inside of you!" Before Sinister even realized she was serious, Aimée had flung herself on top of him. He cried out and scrambled away, allowing his guards to do the dirty work. The guard who had originally led her to her prison warily threw several punches at her head. Aimée ducked easily and sent a graceful kick to his head. He collapsed in a heap, one beefy hand clutching his head. She spun around to meet the next opponent. Suddenly she was back in the danger room, Logan's stern voice coaching her through the training sessions.  
  
"Faster Aimée! Harder! Higher!"  
  
Guards two and three received sharp jabs to the nose and quick knees to the groin. Aimée expected more out of Sinister's finest. The number of guards was dwindling, but her adrenaline had far from diminished. Finally the muscular female guard came into view, she had a large gun in hand. It was simple to disarm her, but knock her down? That was not such an easy task.  
  
"Hai!" The quick kick to S27's wrist knocked the gun across the room, but she responded with several powerful swings at Aimée's face. She ducked, darted, and scurried, but S27 was unusually fast. Aimée responded to a painful jab in her gut, with a hard kick beneath her jaw. The guard screamed out in pain and slightly faltered. Aimée used her temporary blindness to her advantage. Ducking, she swung her leg out, tripping the guard, who fell backwards with a loud thud. Sinister was the only one left. He trembled, still barely able to move on his own. Aimée could feel her hands tingle, and she realized that her abilities were coming back.  
  
"And now for you, you piece of filth! I am going to take what's mine, and then I'm going to kill you. You will pay for what you have done to my mother . . . and Gambit."  
  
"CRACK" The bullet grazed her shoulder, and Aimée leapt back in pain. The wound was oozing blood, and Sinister still had the gun in hand.  
  
"Hahaha, you will never beat me!"  
  
"That's what you think!" She cried, kicking the gun out of his hand, and reaching her palms towards his hollow cheeks.  
  
"AHH!"  
  
Sinister screamed as the power was sucked from him, his deep red eyes lolled back into his head. Aimée felt her abilities surge back through her, and those of her father's.  
  
"No" he moaned, crawling back into a corner.  
  
"Looks like your plan didn't work out, Sinister, looks like you underestimated me."  
  
Aimée laughed as she reached into a drawer on his deck.  
  
"It's not nice to take other peoples things" She hissed, retrieving a deck of cards from a battered brown trench coat. Her hands glowed red as she retrieved the top card, jack of hearts. The card began to glow, surrounding it a fiery haze of color. Aimée lowered her tiny bomb to within an inch of Sinister's face.  
  
"You can't kill me! You need me to set free the others! To escape!" She considered this for a moment, true, what if the bindings were wired to an explosive? She needed Sinister to give the word to set free Gambit and Rogue. Aimée began to lower the flaming card, but was suddenly gripped with a vision. She knew. She knew how to unlock the bindings, she knew how to get out of the prison. Aimée could see Sinister in her head, going through the motions, it was almost like a memory. A memory. Her mother could absorb thoughts and memories. Aimée's powers had manifested during their time in Sinister's lab, she had all of Sinister's thoughts, his knowledge. She suddenly found herself knowing how to play the piano, create a test tube baby, and do calculus.  
  
"I don't need you Sinister, I know now."  
  
"Then what are you waiting for?"  
  
"I am thinking, is it worth it? Killing you? Is that the right end? Or do you deserve something worse, a punishment created to truly fit the crime."  
  
"I have done nothing that you haven't consented to!"  
  
"Bullshit."  
  
"This is entirely your fault. Do you not realize this? I will always win, I will always get what I want!"  
  
Aimée looked at him, lowing the card for a moment. Madelyne used the opportunity to her advantage and darted across the room to Remy's semi- conscious body. With a quick slight of hand she had him by the neck, a knife inches from his gullet.  
  
"Let him go Aimée, and your precious father won't get his throat slit." Aimee weighed her options and her eyes grew panicked. A sudden, and frightening smile formed across Sinister's face.  
  
"You could have prevented all of this! You could have saved so many lives, if you had just let your parents die! If you had never came here, you realize that if do not succeed, which you won't, this is all your fault!" Sinister screeched, laughing and gasping as the flaming card was pointed inches from his gullet. Aimée spun around, furious.  
  
"And Didier!? Would that be my fault? For simply loving someone!"  
  
"Didier, that was a stroke of pure genius, but sadly it was not on my part."  
  
"What are you talking about?"  
  
But he simply smiled towards the door.  
  
Aimée slowly followed his gaze, her heart was pounding, her head was throbbing, sweat poured down her forehead as she stared at the empty doorway.  
  
"Wha?"  
  
But she stopped, unable to finish her statement, because right at that moment, the fuzzy blonde head of Aaron Beamers popped through the door.  
  
"Ahh, Hugues, how nice of you to join us."  
  
~insanity! Its just a cover up for cruelty, why oh why can I not let anything good happen to this poor girl!?!  
  
-Foo ( 


	14. Crimson

~everyone....announcement! I know you are ALL CONFUSED about Sinister's last line....  
  
"Ahh Hugues, how nice of you to join us"  
  
okay, well if you reread chapter 7, you will find out that Hugues is Belladonna's estranged son, Aimée's apparent half brother....now that that's cleared up....i will confuse you EVEN MORE! Hugues, I found out does not so like Hugh, it doesn't even sound like Hugues, it sounds more like "ug" (very cool French baby name site where they say the names aloud) SO I am changing the name to..Anton (On-ton) I sounds more like Aaron and well it sound better in general..Hugues is a very bad name, and I am sorry I ever named him that, but hey! The original name was Diodore! Lol so Hugues=Anton k? good..  
  
La Fille  
  
Part 14.  
  
"What de hell is it wit d'damn door?! How come bad shit always be happenin' when ye'h open it?"  
  
"Shut up" Madelyne hissed, popping a needle into Gambit's neck. "A-Aaron?" Aimée sputtered out, unwillingly lowering the card.  
  
"I t'ink ye'h mean, Hugues, Aaron is such a yankee name."  
  
"Belle?"  
  
Yes, Belladonna Boudreaux suddenly appeared behind Anton, her long arms snaking their way across his chest. Anton stood motionless, staring at the ground. Aimée was confused, he got her, he won, why wasn't the smug smile of his colleagues plastered to his face? Why wasn't he rubbing it in like his mother? "Aimée, meet y'brother"  
  
------------------------------------  
  
"Scott, how's she running?" "SNIKT"  
  
"I put a new turbo in last Monday, we are good time." "SNIKT"  
  
"Good" Professor Xavier exited his mental conversation with Cyclops and turned his attention to his team. Scott was in the front of the Jet, hands on the steering wheel, guiding them to the rescue. Jean's face was buried in her palms, as she sat, elbows on knees, in a seat. He could tell she was crying, having had her best friend wheeled in on a gurney with a nearly fatal gunshot wound just an hour ago. Standing by the wall was Logan, rhythmically shooting and retracting his adamntium claws. Jubliee sat with her knees pulled up to her chest just below him, she had cried. Nightcrawler and Bishop were praying from their seats, and Psylocke sat motionless with her eyes closed. They were all worried, he could see it in their faces, hear it in their voices, sense it in their minds. Every one of them understood the importance of the mission. Three lives were on the line, lives held dear to the team's heart. Xavier cleared his mind, and tried to sense theses victims.  
  
'Rogue ..Gambit.. Aimée..where are you?' It was no use, he would not find them. For once in his life Xavier felt like giving up, like this mission was a lost cause, and he feared ..that in the end more of his precious children would be hurt. "SNIKT"  
  
------------------------------------  
  
"Ah Belle! Y'ad a little son! Congratulations! When's he due?" Remy slurred, he was doped up by Madelyne, the only way of keeping him under control. Besides, he knew something Aimée didn't know, something that could seriously hurt Sinister's plan.  
  
"P-p-pardon?"  
  
"AH told ye'h once fille, stutterin' ain't very ladylike"  
  
"Oh but I suppose kidnap, murder, and exploiting your son to a psychopath is.." She muttered under her breath. Aaron? Anton? What the hell was going on? Was Aaron her brother? "Bitch!" Belladonna shrieked running towards her, but she was stopped.  
  
"Mother, why don' you juss' explain it t'her?" Anton said, suddenly popping out of his trance, and to Aimée's surprise, he was now sporting a Cajun accent. She doubted Aaron even knew what one sounded like, much less could imitate it.  
  
"Mother? Aaron what's going on?" Aimée yelled, her kinetic weapon had gone out by now, but she didn't notice. Sinister, however, did. Using all of his strength he lunged at her, grabbing her from behind and pinning her down with one massive arm. Anton made his way over to her.  
  
"De name's Anton, wench." He sneered, turning back towards Belladonna, "Momma? Who be dis Aaron, de prisoner speaks of? Why is she callin' me dat name?" "That, Anton, is a question I think I should answer" Sinister steadily made it to his feet, some of his fallen guards had popped back up to help, and Aimée was settled back into her harnesses. "But not now"  
  
"No! I want t'know what's goin' on"  
  
"Silence! You will learn boy, that insolence is NOT rewarded here." "Well I wan' t'know who Aaron be!" Anton yelled, getting right up in Sinister's face. He smiled, the boy was young, and foolish, he trusted his mother . . . and her lies. But he was strong, and for tha reason alone, Sinister let him live.  
  
"Now for my powers" he hissed, sweeping back towards Aimée.  
  
"NO!!! Aaron help me! please!"  
  
"Don' address me like dat, whore!"  
  
"How can you say that? Okay fine so your Anton, whoever the hell that is, but if you are...You don't even seem to care that you are taking a hand in your own father's death! Your sisters death! And Aaron! You lied to all of us! To the professor, O'Rya, you lied to me"  
  
"Stoppit! STOP CALLIN' ME DAT NAME! I ain't Aaron, I'm Anton, Anton Boudreaux, and I don' give a damn about my father, or any of his fil'ty lies."  
  
'Don't you mean her lies?'  
  
The voice had come from inside his head. "Who said dat?"  
  
"What are you talking about boy?" Sinister growled, Belladonna's son was proving to be more of a problem than he expected.  
  
"Who be putin' dat shit in m'head! Stoppit Madelyne, I kno' it was you! And your witchy ways."  
  
"I didn't do anything" She hissed, confused by Sinister's sudden panicked look.  
  
'It wasn't her'  
  
"Stop! Stop puttin' voices in m'head!" Anton screamed, sinking against a wall, tugging at his curls furiously. "No.." "Anton? Anton what's de matter?"  
  
"No..."  
  
"M'lord, what's the matter. What is he talking about?" "NO!!!!!!!!" But Mr. Sinister's screams were not heard, but rather drowned out by the large explosion. In a red flash, the far wall of the compound was knocked down, to reveal Sinister's worst nightmare...Scott Summer's.  
  
------------------------------------  
  
She could not see. Her eyes..too weak.  
  
Blood.  
  
Everywhere was blood.  
  
Where was Aimée? Who was screaming? Blood.  
  
Why was there so much blood? "REMY!!!!"  
  
------------------------------------  
  
The guards popped up like flowers in spring, their eyes hungry for mutant blood. Betsy Braddock was the first to attack. Emitting a loud cry from her samurai training, Psylocke pounced on one man. He was fast, but she was faster, and her psychic knife cut through him painfully. He cried out, landing on the floor in a heap, and Betsy smiled in spite of herself. But that was her weakness, the smug attitude, because why she was enjoying her brief victory, two other guards sprung on her. "I got yer back Bets!" Logan cried, his blades popping out with a trademark SNIKT. He already had one man clinging to his neck, but Jubilee fired them off with a burst of fireworks. Two more guards went down, with identical slashes through their hearts, and Logan was working his way through the swarm. Bishop was not faring so well, and having no active mutant ability to back up his fighting skills, he was wearing down fast.  
  
"No!" Nightcralwer yelled, teleporting the professor, a guard with a large lead pipe had been aiming for his head. Meanwhile, Scott Summer's was hot on Sinister's tail, the powerful Cyclops, paired with Jean Grey was no match for even his most skilled thugs. Jean focused on each guard, sending them flying back, twenty, thirty feet. While Cyclops bounded on. Sinister rounded a corner fast, his feet skid loudly on the floor as he slid into a doorway.  
  
"No!" Scott yelled as the metallic door sealed shut, Sinister had escaped.  
  
"Yo' Cyke! We need you over here!" Jubilee yelled, as she struggled unsuccessfully with Aimée's bindings. "Stand back" The leader commanded, and with a flash of light Aimée was free and dashing madly. Anton still lie screaming by the wall, the professor had him tuned in full blast.  
  
"Professor, let me talk to him." Jean mentally asked, coming closer to Anton's withered body.  
  
"Don' come any closer mutant! Juss' get de hell out o' m'head!"  
  
'Aaron comeon, hear me, hear my voice..'  
  
"I'M! NOT! AARON!!!!!!!!" he yelled, as Jean felt herself tackled from behind.  
  
"Why hello, Chere, care t'dance?" Belladonna growled, her hands lighting up with energy.. "ungh" The impact of the last guards kick hit Bishop hard, he could feel his knees buckle beneath him.  
  
"Bishop!" Remy yelled from across the room, but the knife only further dug into his throat.  
  
"No sudden movements, LeBeau." "How about you just let him go?"  
  
"wha?" The collision hit Madelyne hard, and she could feel her jaw snap, as she hit the ground.  
  
"You should know Mad's.." The ominous voice spoke eloquently above her,  
  
"You cannot kill, a goddess." Ororro sent another sharp kick to Madelyne's gut, until finally, the Black Queen, lie still.  
  
"Comeon Remy, we need you out there."  
  
"Stormy?"  
  
"I thought I told you not to call me that."  
  
It was chaos, pure chaos. Blood everywhere, guards falling to their knees, Xmen hitting the ground. Fireworks, explosions, bright beams of red light, and you could not see anything. She could only hear, the screams. The screams of her mentors, her teachers, her friends. Aimée tried her best to block it out, as she crawled towards her mother's motionless body. "Mama...mama wake up..AIYEE!"  
  
The impact of his sharp wooden heel to her fragile spine caused Aimée to yelp in pain and collapse across her mother's body. The guard just further pressed his heel into her spine. Something snapped inside of her, and it wasn't just her tailbone. Aimée was filled, filled with a rage she never knew; A sheer hatred, which consumed her body.  
  
"HAI!"  
  
Her body twisted with superhuman speed, her muscles tightening as she gripped his foot. The bones crushed as she twisted it unnaturally, Aimée took pleasure in hearing him scream. She was on her feet in 2 seconds; a roundhouse kick had been executed in 3. His nose was bloody now; the crimson liquid covered her boots as she jammed her heel into it again and again. Never had she put so much force into a hit. There was no time to think, only time for action. He swung around haphazardly, his vision blurred by the pain. Aimée easily avoided his clumsy blows by ducking down, and in one quick motion had him on the ground with her. Aimée straddled his chest, punching again and again, the sheer force behind her blows leaving him screaming for mercy. Finally she stopped, he was probably dead. Her body ached, but she craned her neck to see him. His nose was a lump mushed into his face, blood speckled his features, and oozed out of his many open wounds. Two black eyes, missing teeth, shallow breathing. She felt herself gag, she was disgusted, and it was she who had done this to him. A person. A human being. Aimée glanced at her mother, who also lies unconscious and battered in the corner. Monsters had done that to her, had tortured her, cheated her out of any happiness. However, glancing back at her victim, Aimée wondered.. was she no better than them?  
  
"Bitch" It was muttered so quietly, Aimée thought she had imagined it...but she definetly didn't imagine the sharp kick to the back of her skull. It seemed her victim had some energy left, for a final blow. Darkness clouded over her..  
  
"Rogue, Rogue, are you allright?"  
  
"Ah, Ah'm, okay, where's Gambit?"  
  
"He's on the blackbird, listen Rogue, we've got to get out of here, Sinister's wired a bomb. Let's go!"  
  
"Wait no! Aimée? Aimée can you walk baby? Aimée?"  
  
Rogue's bloody hands reached up for Aimée's cheeks, smiling she whispered.  
  
"Baby, we're okay"  
  
That was the last thing Aimée could remember....it just all went black.  
  
~one more  
  
-Foo 


	15. Learning to Forgive

---OKAY OKAY so this is the last chapter! This is it! The resolutions! All the explaining! All the questions! Everything will be answered right here! Right now!  
  
Aren't you just itching with anticipation?!?  
  
Well look no further! The final chapter of La Fille....IS HERE!!!!!  
  
Note: Fleur, my loyal reviewer, fellow author, and kick ass pal...I have decided to dedicate this story to you..and not just because you are the only one who reads it! Haha..so Fleur, this ones for you...  
  
------------------------------------  
  
La Fille  
  
Part 15.  
  
Learning to Forgive  
  
------------------------------------  
  
"Yoah' awake, good" Rogue said, smiling, as Aimée entered her med-room (like a hospital room), "Can ya'h believe they put us in sep'rate rooms?"  
  
"Hell yeah, 2 weeks ago I woulda'h got lost looking for you" Rogue's expression suddenly turned solemn.  
  
"Been walkin' down these halls to many times, shugah'"  
  
"Well that's over now." Aimée said with a slight smile, schooching down next to her mother, "Ah! I think you got a bigger bed than me!"  
  
"Haha." The pair sat in silence for a moment, it was odd, they were so much a like, yet so different.  
  
"Mama?"  
  
"mm?"  
  
"I'm sorry"  
  
"'Bout what?"  
  
Aimée sighed, resting her head on Rogue's shoulder, "I don't know, I'm just sorry."  
  
"Baby, none ah this was yoah' fault."  
  
"Yeah then who's fault was it?" she muttered, her voice bitter. Rogue pretended to not hear that comment, and focused her attention on the door, which had opened to reveal the man of the hour, none other than Remy LeBeau himself.  
  
"Hi"  
  
Rogue stared for a moment, but then cast her head down, she had manners, and gawking at someone was impolite. Aimée rose to leave, "I think I'll leave you two, to talk...or whatever." Brushing past her father, she stopped. Her head rising slightly, just enough to look back upon the man. Aimée's expression was hard to read. Her eyebrows were knitted together, and her lips pursued like she wanted to say something, but then thought better of it. Most people wouldn't notice the tears forming in her eyes. Her head was full of emotion. She wanted to call out, to reach for him, to do something, but re-opening that place in her heart. That place that she had tried so hard to lock up, that wasn't something she was ready to do. So Aimée turned, and walked out the door. Scared to be hurt again.  
  
------------------------------------  
  
"Prof' I'm not really gettin' all this psychologic mumbo jumbo. Just tell us what went wrong with the kid." Logan, Jean and Scott were sitting Xavier's office. Jean sat on the desk, with Scott before her in a chair. Logan stood by the wall, his expression, complicated and unreadable. Xavier sat in his wheelchair by his desk, his long fingers laced together on his lap.  
  
"Frankly, Logan, I don't really know. All I know is what happened to him."  
  
"What happened to him? What did that monster do to him!?" Jean yelled from her postion. Scott reached a hand to her leg to calm her.  
  
"Steady Jean."  
  
"Anton Boudreaux is the son of Belladonna Boudreaux. Aaron Beamers, is the son of Pennsylvania dairy farmers, but apparently they are the same person. As you all recall, Aaron came to us about a month ago, sporting some telepathic abilities, unstable flight capabilities, and a strange heating factor. We welcomed him into our home, but in not running a background check was our fatal mistake. Aaron Beamers does not exist. He is a product of Sinister's lab, the body of Anton Boudreaux, with an a new mind, new memories, new thoughts, heck even a new accent."  
  
"And a nice set of mutant abilities."  
  
"Correct Logan; Belladonna had willingly sacrificed her son to Sinister's experiment. Anton now believed he was Aaron Beamers, a farmer from Pennsylvania. Sinister used him inside the mansion. He got Aaron situated in the heart of our defenses, but let Anton come out to play at night. Thinking he was on Assassin's Guild orders Anton attacked. It was he who slipped Rogue with poison, causing her to pass out, he who implanted those visions in Aimée's head. He kidnapped Rogue, and brought Gambit to Madelyne Pryor and Mr. Sinister. And it was he, who killed Aimée's young friend that fateful night. The next morning, Aaron would awake, not knowing anything had happened."  
  
"Jesus Christ!" Scott yelled.  
  
"However, after Aaron finally fizzled away, when Anton was reunited with his mother that night in Sinister's lab, something happened. Maybe it was confronting Aimée? Someone who his counterpart cared for so much, maybe it was Aaron Beamers trying to break through the surface. Aaron and Anton were no more, our young student did not recall anything. He does not know who he is, he has no identity. Aaron Beamers is not the kind boy we knew here, and Anton Boudreaux is not longer Belladonna's ruthless son."  
  
"Well what is to become of him?" Jean asked, looking flustered.  
  
"He has taken his X-name, Apollo. I have been given notice; Apollo will be leaving the mansion. At this point, I doubt he knows what to think..or who to be."  
  
"Pretty heavy stuff, huh?" Startled the room looked towards the door. Aimée had just slipped in. She was wearing red flannel sweatpants. A loose hoodie fit well around a snug black tank top. Her hair was loose, tumbling down to her lower back, "And what about the part regarding him being my brother?" She asked nervously, fiddling with her jacket's zipper.  
  
"That's negative, we could tell by looking that Belladonna was lying. Remy's eyes are a trait that will be passed down through his children, they are just too dominant. Apollo's fair skin, and hair wasn't a genetic match either, but to be sure we did a quick swab. Gambit is not his father." Jean said quickly, standing to leave, the other Xmen followed. Aimée looked relieved, so she didn't belong on Jerry Springer afterall.  
  
"Please, Aimée, sit down.  
  
------------------------------------ "Awkward silence."  
  
"Yeah, well ah've learned t'like it that way."  
  
"Me too." Gambit replied, solemnly shaking his head. Rogue glared at him, but she couldn't help but be warmed by his presence.  
  
"Ah guess ya'h talked t'Aimée"  
  
"Non, not yet at least."  
  
She stared hard at him, taking in every detail of his presence. The nervous look in his eyes, the twitch at his lips, the tiniest beads of sweat that had formed on his hairline.  
  
"Well come here, lemme' have a look at ya'h shugah''" Rogue spoke in an almost comforting tone. Remy sat down on the bed, and allowed her to take his face into her gloved hands. One eye was black and blue, and stitches' dressing outlined his cheekbone just below it. Various nicks and cuts decorated his timeless features, and there was a small burn on his neck. Her breath caught in her throat, and the indestructible Rogue choked back a sob, reaching for an embrace.  
  
"Ah'm just so happy that your alive, and that ya'h all-right. Ah was so worried." She sobbed into his jacket, fearing to let go. Remy smiled, smelling her hair, the distinct scent of lavender filled his nostrils as he buried himself in her warmth. But something clicked in his brain, what was going on?  
  
"SMACK" it hit him faster than he could blink, and the thief found himself clutching a bruised cheek, notably not the already injured one. Rogue glared back at him. That was more like it. Her watery eyes matched that of her fiery red cheeks, as she clenched two fists and stared him up and down.  
  
"Gambit guesses he deserved dat"  
  
"WHACK" This time with extra force.  
  
"Gambit kno' he deserved dat one"  
  
"Yeah well now ya'h got two shiners, figured ah'd make ya'h symmetrical."  
  
Humor. Sarcasm. It was the way they all worked past it, worked past the pain of being an X-man, these two in particular. Silence. Tension. Resolutions?  
  
"Why did ya'h hafta do it?" She asked slowly, her eyes now definitely filled with tears, "Why'd ya' have t'ruin every'thin?" "Fear, I guess. Though ah know, dat's not much of an answer."  
  
"Why didn't ya'h come back? Why did ya'h leave? Why did you leave her? Why . . . why did you leave . . .me."  
  
"I don' know de answers t'dose questions, chere, an' I don't expect forgiveness. Gambit just knows what he feels. Ah been given' much more den my fair share, petit, an' I'm content wit dat. But I'm not goin' anywhere, if I'm welcome or not."  
  
There was no answer to that, because really it wasn't a question. He loved her, she knew that, but when he said it . . . it wasn't like he was expecting anything in return. Remy stood to leave, but she reached for his arm and pulled him back down to the hospital bed.  
  
"I don' want t'make ye'h feel like you have t'do this. T'open up a door ye'h don' wanna' step through again."  
  
"Well ah don' want ya'h t'leave, at least not right now." Gambit let his head fall, the shaggy bangs covering up his handsome face. Both had put so much effort into making their love for one another go away, that in the end it was the only thing they were sure of and could count on, forever. Maybe there was still a chance for the two, because in their tiny human bodies they possessed a love greater than all obstacles put before them. They had overcome lies and secrets, forbidden kisses and not so happy farewells; surely this would not be the end. Life was too short to hold a grudge, and they had lost so much time already. She reached up and gently touched his cheek; the bruise from her punch was bright red by now. Remy's head slowed grazed back up, and his eyes locked on to hers. A nervous smile began to form on his lips, as Rogue devilishly grinned back at him, cocking an eyebrow when she pulled him in close enough for her to feel his hot breath. They lay there side by side for hours, not speaking, just elbow to elbow, his head laying on her shoulder and their gloved hands intertwined. Even if the miraculous couple were able to touch . . . they most likely wouldn't have, because they were satisfied just being together, and knowing that without doubts . . . to put it simply . . . they were in love. For once they were totally prepared, prepared to fight anything that came their way . . . finally they would do it . . . together.  
  
------------------------------------  
  
"I wanted to speak with you." Xavier stated, his brow was furrowed and his lips were formed into a straight line, "You have a right to know, what happened, though I know you already caught the explanation on Mr. Beamers, through the keyhole."  
  
Aimée couldn't help but laugh, and was relieved when she saw the professor smile also. "What happened that night? The night you came to rescue me?"  
  
"ahhh, that was a week ago, but the horrors of that evening will be forever scarred into my brain."  
  
"How did you know?"  
  
"I'm not sure, but that night, something happened to me, I felt gripped, by a vision, a call. I saw you, I saw your father, and I just knew, I knew where to go. When we arrived, Sinister had obviously lost control. I sent out the Xmen to fend off the guards, Cyclops freed you, but then went back into the huddle. I however, focused my attention on finding Rogue. I hadn't been able to sense her presence, and I feared the worse. When you went down, I yelled out. I was terrified, the pain was so severe that you just stopped breathing, I presumed you dead. But Rogue, she reached out and grabbed out, but she had no gloves and you passed out. As odd as this may sound, that single action actually saved your life. When you passed out, your body naturally responded and began pumping air back into your lungs."  
  
"And I survived.. that's the closer I've ever been to death."  
  
"That was an incredibly brave thing you did, Aimée. I don't think Remy would have survived if you hadn't of gotten there."  
  
"Maybe that wasn't such a good thing." She muttered.  
  
"That's really not my place, but, and hopefully you will take my word for it, he does care about you. I have known that man for a good portion of his life, and there would be no gain in him leaving again."  
  
"Well there was no gain the first time! What could he possibly get out of leaving me, I was 5 years old, 5 years old! I needed him, and he wasn't there. I just don't know if I can forgive that, if I can just start loving him again."  
  
"Maybe you don't start with love? Maybe you just start by listening to what he has to say."  
  
"Maybe..Dammit I just wish none of this had ever happened! I wish I was just, someone else. You know? That I wasn't the daughter of my parents, not an Xman, not even a mutant. I just wish I were 17. I don't like the idea of being cautious, not being able to get close to anyone for fear of a psycho like Sinister killing them. I don't like the idea of looking behind my shoulder for a friend of humanity, or a member of the Assassin's Guild. Someone my father has old debts to, someone my mother has drained of their memories. I just want to be normal, and I can't help but think about that night. When Sinister had drained my powers, when I actually thought they might be gone forever, and the way I felt. Free. No more responsibility, I was free. Am I a bad person because of that? A bad mutant, do I not belong in the Xmen? I know millions of mutants out there would love to be me, I just don't think I can handle it all."  
  
"Aimée, we all have those feelings. We all want to be normal, we want to be accepted, but right now that's not a possibility. As your father would say, we have to take the hand we're dealt, and as your mother would say.. and make the most of it. You are special, and that is going to make you a target for a lot of things, but you can't just give up. You cannot give up on your life, and spend all of your days in fear, or feeling sorry for yourself. I'm here, anytime you need to talk, but I can't make these wishes go away. Only you can do that. You just have to accept yourself for who you are, don't wish for something else. Being a mutant, is a gift, and soon you will realize it." Aimée sniffed and backhanded her tears. She knew that her doubts about being a mutant wouldn't go away, but she also knew that they didn't have to dictate her life. Stooping slightly she kissed the top of the professor's head, thanking him for his kind words. "Aimée?"  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"Be careful, we need you here."  
  
Aimée smiled politely and exited the room. Xmen, the entire concept was odd. She used to wonder why, why mutants like her, the rejected went back to help those who had rejected them in the first place. Why help those who hated and feared you? She had often wondered why, but now she knew. They were the only ones who could. The Xmen, and other mutants like them, they were the only ones who could protect humans, from mutants like them, and in some cases themselves. Aimée shook out her hair and headed towards the guest bedrooms. Her mind made up. CRASH, both of them went flying backwards. Aimée reached for her head, moaning slightly as she tried to get the room to stop spinning.  
  
"Sorry, I wasn't watching where I was going." A warm voice spoke to her, reaching out its hand.  
  
"No, no it was me," She replied, taking it graciously. The man pulled her to a standing position and smiled.  
  
"Aa-" "Apollo"  
  
"Yes, sorry."  
  
Apollo shrugged his shoulders; he knew people would be confused. Aimée smiled into his eyes, her heart rate slowly rising. It was silent, a comfortable silence. Apollo, surprised she hadn't drained him of his powers already, and Aimée surprised at his mere presence.  
  
"I didn't expect to see you here."  
  
"I'm not staying."  
  
"Oh" She replied, maybe talking wasn't the best idea.  
  
"Listen, Aimée, I wanted to say I was sorry, about everything."  
  
"You should be."  
  
Ouch, but that was definitely the reaction he had expected. "I mean, no, sorry that was rude."  
  
"No, no, I deserve it, for what I did. I don't expect you to forgive me."  
  
"But you didn't know, you weren't-" "Please, don't try to make sense of it. I did know. I was, am, I committed those acts of my own will...it doesn't matter which part of me did it, it was still me. I just wish I could figure out who "me" is. But Anton, and Aaron..hopefully I have laid them to rest."  
  
She couldn't help but feel sorry for him, despite what he had done. She couldn't help but let her eyes moisten at the sight of him. He was in pain, that much was obvious.  
  
"The professor said you were leaving."  
  
"That I am."  
  
"I'll ask you not to go."  
  
"It's not my place to stay, I would just end up hurting you, and you know that's the last thing I want to do. Besides, I know your heart does not belong to me, though mine does to you. I love you, that's the one thing I'm sure of."  
  
"Apollo you don't even know me. Aaron did, but you said yourself, he's dead."  
  
"Then how come whenever I look at you, I want to kiss you? How come every time I hear your voice, I dream of you whispering in my ear? Whenever I touch you, I just wish I could hold you.. Tell me those aren't real feelings."  
  
"Yes but who's feelings are they? Apollo, I can't be with you, you know that. Didier just died, I mean, god dammit you were the one who killed him! It just wouldn't work out between us... things are just too crazy. I can only be here as your friend."  
  
"That's not what I want."  
  
"But that's all I'm offering." The pair stared at each other for a while, neither knowing what to say. Aaron had never confessed his love, but Aimée always knew it was there. She had liked Aaron, but he was gone. The man before her had killed Didier, or at least a part of him had, and she couldn't forgive that, at least not yet.  
  
"Goodbye Apollo, I'll ask you not to think of me while your gone. It would be best that way." She said in a flourish, standing on her tiptoes to quickly kiss him on the cheek Aimée walked briskly down the hall, leaving him with a stricken look on his face. "Au Revoir, ma chere." He whispered, retreating back to his bedroom and sitting at his desk. Apollo sighed as he opened the drawer, retrieving a piece of paper and a pen.  
  
Dear Belladonna,  
  
I have decided to leave Professor Xavier's mansion. At this point, I'm not really sure what I plan to do next. I was hoping you might be able to help. I don't know who Anton is, I'm not really sure I know who Aaron is, but I know that your family was once my family. I can't promise I will be the son you lost, but I want to try my best to regain my past memories, and maybe sort out what's going on in my head. I can't give you my home address, because at this moment I don't exactly have a home, and I was hoping maybe you could help with that. I have a few loose ends to deal with up north, but I plan on flying down to New Orleans in a week. Hopefully I will have a warm welcome.  
  
-Apollo  
  
------------------------------------  
  
The next day the X-Mansion rose early. The kitchen was buzzing with hungry students, grumpy teens, and busy teachers. One team member, however, was missing. Rogue sat in the garden; she had been up since six, pruning her rose bushes. She had her eyes to the sky as she absentmindly went through her task. The blackbird suddenly appeared, its stealth mode switching off for just a second. Rogue laughed as several tiny explosions popped out of the roof of the craft. Everything was going to be fine.  
  
------------------------------------  
  
She laid the white rose in front of his tombstone; it was her final touch to the burial ground. Aimée never did forgive herself for Didier's untimely death, and she doubted she ever would. But for now, the feelings of guilt were pushed aside, as she share one last moment with her fallen love. The cool Louisiana breeze whipped at her hair, entwining it betweens its fingers, and Aimée slowly came to stand. And feeling a familiar presence behind her, smiled.  
  
"I want to thank you for coming here with me."  
  
"No where else I'd rather be, chere." A familiar voice called out from behind her, "Ah never knew em."  
  
"He was a good man," She stated, and then dropping her voice to a whisper, "He did not deserve to die." "But dat was not ye'h choice," Remy reached for her shoulders, slowly spinning her to face him, "Nor was it your fault."  
  
"He loved me, the boy barely knew me, but he followed me to New York. He promised to help me find you, without even a second guess . . . and it hurts so bad, to know that if I had just left him here, left without him . . ."  
  
"He would ah've followed ye'h anyway. Aimée you couldn't have changed his mind, just like you can't change the past."  
  
"It just hurts, that's all."  
  
Gambit smiled at his daughter and pulled her into a tight hug.  
  
"An' it always will, petit, but dat be why ah'm he'h, non? T'elp ye'h through dis. An' I'm not goin' anywhere."  
  
He shed a tear in spite of himself, but Aimée never knew that. Truth was that he was scared, he feared what the future would bring and what it would do to them almost as much as she did. But Gambit stuck to his word. He was not going anywhere, because there, in embrace with his child . . . was where he belonged.  
  
"We're a family now petit, an' family sticks t'gether. I love you Aimée."  
  
Aimée squeezed a little tighter as she buried herself in his jacket, inhaling his scent, immersing herself in his warmth.  
  
"I know Papa, I know."  
  
And she loved him too.  
  
------------------------------------  
  
finit!  
  
But is this the end for Aimée? Is sinister gone for good? Ha! Not while I'm around shugah!  
  
So stay tuned..you never know what could happen next!  
  
-Foo 


End file.
